


The Man You Have Become

by Sinesthero



Series: Titans of Industry [2]
Category: Borderlands, Borderlands (Video Games), Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Domestic Discipline, Dominance, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, New Relationship, Romance, Rope Bondage, Safewords, Series Spoilers, Spanking, Submission, Survivor Guilt, alcohol use, gayperion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-05-10 07:49:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 71,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5577262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinesthero/pseuds/Sinesthero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vaughn grows into his own on Pandora and is finally able to say and do the things that have been on his mind for the past several years. It may be exactly what a traumatized Rhys needs. Takes place (mostly) before the end of Episode 5.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Hell of a Way to Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> **This Fic Contains Tales from the Borderlands Spoilers** 
> 
> Please be gentle, this is my first time.This story assumes the following: Loader Bot was told to Evacuate, the boys went with the girls to Old Haven, Rhys rejected the offer to rule Hyperion and Fiona was going to let Athena kill Cassius. Thus, Cassius has totally sold out Vaughn. This is partially my attempt to fix what I think is the biggest flaw of Episode 5 - the fact that after promising never to leave Vaughn on the curb, he totally did not look for him.

It was getting dark on Pandora. The two erstwhile Hyperion employees had been captive on the truck of Vallory's henchmen, being driven to collect Vasquez's body for the digistruction of Rhys' disguise. With their hands tied behind their backs, they talked quietly. Rhys made sure to be clear that the that the first chance he got, Vaughn needed to run away from their captors.

When they returned with Vasquez, Rhys was going to be launched into in the girls' caravan-turned-rocket ship to fetch the Gortys Beacon from Helios for the Queenpin. It would be hard for him to focus if he knew his best friend was held captive by violent gangsters. Unable to shake hands, or hug, they had done the one thing they could do: the Bro Knee.

Silence had descended over the two and they both watched the road go by before Vaughn swallowed and said, "Look, Rhys... I wish you luck. But there's a good chance... you, or I, Or, hell, Both of us might... not... make it." He looked away and swallowed before saying, "I don't want to leave this unsaid... because I might not be able to live with myself otherwise." Vaughn had wanted this to come out smooth and masculine, like a man taking charge of his own destiny. He took a deep breath and looked into Rhys's mismatched eyes and his resolve washed away into garbled anxiety, "You're... so... stupidly handsome, Damn it. You're .... I mean, I... Well, I really love you, Bro... like _love-love_ you... and... I have since college."

Rhys could only stare at him for a few moments, his lips parted in surprise and his brain working slow to process the information. Vaughn took this as a sign that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life and looked away, face flushed in at the perceived rejection.

"Vaughn... I do." Rhys stammered.

Vaughn responded bleakly, "You what?" He ventured to look his friend in the eyes.

"Too. I mean, I do too... love you, that is." Rhys's voice wasn't any smoother. "And... I kinda... always knew you did."

Vaughn also took the next step first as well. Leaning closer to Rhys he mashed their lips together in a way that was more painful then pleasurable. There was not time for more as they pulled up to Old Haven and Rhys was bid by Kroger and Finch to look for Vasquez.

Rhys did not want to say goodbye. After all, Vaughn might not even get the chance to escape. Instead he just looked at him before being lead off and said, "Later, Bro."

Yet Vaughn had managed to bite one of the men and run off into the darkness. Rhys had never been more proud of Vaughn for escaping or so terrified that the smaller man he had always protected might be lost and perish out in the harsh Pandoran wilderness.


	2. Alone in the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys is alone after Defeating Handsome Jack.

Months had gone by since the horrors that followed. Helios had crashed out of the skies and Rhys had finally rid himself of the monster hiding in his cybernetics. Rhys found he could not remember many of the details after his defeat of Jack due to blood loss and what soon developed into a raging infection around his arm port. Somehow, he had acquired a Hyperion company car from amongst the debris.

  
The thing he did remember was driving with only one arm and one eye; and even that one so wet with tears half the time that its a wonder he did not crash or get eaten by the local fauna. Fiona and Sasha had betrayed him and left him to die. Vaughn was missing. So many people were dead because of him.

His fevered mind decided first to get himself back to Old Haven. There might be medical supplies, weaponry, or something else of use. More importantly, Vaughn might still be lurking there.

The tall mans skill at hacking allowed him to take over the security systems and fix them so that any remaining drones would now protect him. The large Gortys project facility held all the tools needed to revive himself, but it would be a long recovery. It was a few months before he had the strength to do anything much more than lay weakly in the facilities med bay. Fortunately, there was a large number of cans of food. Unfortunately, most of it was Atlas brand canned skag meat. As importantly, there was a reserve of filtered running water.

After several weeks he finally felt well enough to venture out of his convalescent room to search for signs of his best friend. In his Hyperion car he combed the area for days, looking for any sign of Vaughn. In time, in the wastes not too far from Old Haven, he found the worst possible sign. Vaughns "freedom" glasses lay broken in the sand. They were snapped in half and resting near a pile of sun bleached bones. From the tooth-marked, incomplete bones that remained he could only assume that Vaughn had been eaten by one of the horrible monsters that passed for animals on Pandora. With his one, fleshy arm he dug the best grave he could in the sand to honor his friend. There was no eulogy, only Rhys' broken weeping interspersed with his cries of, "I'm sorry. Vaughn, I'm so sorry..."

This was followed by a a week of eating almost nothing and the occasional despairing thought of throwing himself off of the roof, or programming a drone to take him out. The isolation, the loss of his friends, and the nagging guilt of all those who died on Helios because of his decisions took a terrible toll.

In the end, though, the will to survive that had gotten him through all of it so far kicked in. With everything he could get from the facility spent, he abandoned it to seek out the domed compound where the team in happier days had found the first upgrade for Gortys. There was food there, he knew, not to mention the QuickChange station that might be able to provide him with a replacement arm.  
Fortunately, for him, Cassius was no longer about by the time he returned. So there he settled himself for the next few months. He managed to replace both his arm and his eye. This time, he opted for one closer to his actual coloring.

Rhys found a rhythm in his new, isolated life. He launched himself into the creation of prototypes for products to build Atlas back to the top. The work helped dull the lonley ache in his heart. This time it would be different. Determined to be a better man then he had at Hyperion, he strove to make things that would help Pandora and build a company that he could be proud of running.

  
Eventually, though, the isolation nagged at him and he knew he could not stay as a hermit indefinately without losing his mind. He hid away his prototypes and drove off to try to find out what had become of Gortys and even of Fiona and Sasha. At the very least, he felt, they owed him some answers.

It was just his luck that while trying to figure out what had happened, he had been kidnapped by the stranger and united with Fiona. During their joint tale to their captor he had learned the truth; that the girls never abandoned him. Still, he did not tell either of them about Vaughn. It was too painful to relive it. It was easier for him to continue to go on with false bravado and say simply that the whole adventure had left him with scars.

Soon, Kroger appeared with his own captive in tow. It was a bit of a blur as first the Stranger killed Kroger while he was attempting to take out Fiona. Then, In a whirlwind of activity, the Stranger was captured, Fiona and Rhys were freed, and the bandit Revealed himself to be none other than Vaughn. Rhys hugged him so hard, swinging him up in the air before mashing his lips into Vaughns and laughing while he did so.

Fiona's eyes widened as she saw that reception. "That's... New..." Was her only comment before Vaughn led them away to his camp in the ruins of Helios.


	3. You Know that I'm No Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alone at last, the gentlemen finally have a moment to talk. Angsty business.

It was a grand reunion, in spite of the creepy levels of deference he received from the Children of Helios. Rhys was thrilled to see that Yvette had survived and he gladly forgave her for her betrayal with hugs and assurances that it was all in the past now. Vaughn had seemed so pleased with him when he apologized to her for prodding her into becoming their co-conspirator to begin with. In Hyperion, survival was most everyone's number one priority. How could he say that he would not have done the same were he in her sensible corporate shoes?

More than anything, Rhys desired was to talk to Vaughn in private, but he did not want to leave Fiona alone to question the Stranger that had brought them all together. Learning that the Stranger was Loader Bot was a most pleasant shock. In no time, they were forming plans to save the tiny, cheerful Gortys robot and open the treasures of the Vault. It would take a few weeks decide who to bring with them to fight the Vault monster and iron out their plan to give them the best advantage. In the meantime, they had time to get reacquainted.

They ate as fine a meal as can be prepared by a civilization of former corporate drones living in a smashed up space station in the desert. The meal gave Rhys the opportunity to talk a bit about the things that had happened to him on Helios and after it had fallen. The tale was told somberly and at the end Fiona even apologized for punching him in the neck while out on the road.

When they were done eating, Vaughn asked Yvette to show Fiona and Loader bot to rooms prepared for them. She graciously agreed and soon Rhys was left alone with this new, confident version of his old friend. His eyes trailed from Vaughn's glasses-free face and full beard to his bare chest and abdominal muscles.

Vaughn's brows knitted in thought before he asked, uncertainly, "Do you want your own room, or would you mind joining me in mine?"

Rhys smiled warmly at the invitation, "I've been waiting _all evening_ for you to ask me that."

Vaughn's enthusiasm was obvious, "Great!" Then, softer again, "Come on then, this way," he beckoned Rhys to follow him down several long corridors.

After a bit of walking in silence Rhys said quietly, "This is surreal, Vaughn. I'm really not certain that I'm not still laying in a bed at Atlas having a fever dream."

"Then I have my work cut out for me in convincing you that I am 100 percent present."

At last they were alone together in Vaughn's room. It seemed to Rhys like it may once have been a conference room. It was a bit large for a bedroom and windowless. A scavenged bed sat in roughly the middle of one side of the gray walled room. There was a desk with a desk chair in one corner as well as a couple of old conference room chairs. There were a few crates that most likely carried personal belongings and also served to prop up a piece of metal paneling that served as a privacy screen for changing. On top of the crates was a water pitcher, a basin, and a stack of towels. Unsurprisingly, the room was immaculate. Vaughn always had been the neat one when they had lived together. Rhys felt glad to know that some things never changed.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Vaughn intoned while spreading out his arms. "One of the perks of helping our former coworkers is that they made sure to make me take the best room in the place... and this from the dicks that wouldn't even let me play squash with them." There was no real bitterness in his tone. That was all past history now.

Rhys felt his face fall. "They'd all be dead without you, probably..." His mind leapt to the ones who did not make it.

"Yeah, Probably. No, definitely. Look..." He gestured towards the basin, "No offense, bro, but you're looking a bit ... gross. From the road that is. I love the clothes. Great Jacket... but let me take them to be washed up for you. I can get you something else to wear in the meantime and you can wash yourself up."

Rhys chuckled faintly, looking down at himself with a chuckle, "Yeah... I am... pretty nasty." He wandered back behind the screen and started to undress. The black jacket came flying over the screen to flop on the floor.

"Only one hard rule here Rhys... I am absolutely not cleaning up after you anymore, so let this be the only crap you toss on the floor."

Rhys smiled behind the screen. "That's fair." He folded the clothing and stacked it in a pile. He leaned out from the screen and handed the pile of black clothing to his friend. His folded his belt over and hung over the screen for the time being.

Vaughn grabbed them "I'll be back in a bit." With that he left the room.

It was hardly the luxury of a shower, but Rhys busied himself with washing up. It felt good. He had been wearing those clothes for what seemed like forever. True to his word, he cleaned up the mess he made while washing up immediately after. Feeling a bit awkward, he commandeered a Hyperion-yellow sheet to wrap around himself in the meantime and sat down on the bed while he waited for Vaughn to return.

After a while, there was a knock at the door to warn him, and then Vaughn slipped inside. He was carrying another pitcher of water and an armful of clothing. He smiled at Rhys, "Sorry that took so long. I am eternally in demand here and had to stop to make sure all the patrols were set for the night. Nice Toga. Feeling better?" He set the pitcher down and moved to sit next to Rhys on the bed.

"Yeah..." Rhys said with a nod. "Much better. Thank you." Rhys set the clothes beside him on the bed for the moment. He felt decent enough as he was.

" _Grrrreat_." Vaughn replied, drawing out the word for a long time as he turned his face away. After a few moments of awkward silence, Rhys felt his flesh hand being taken and held.

"I can't believe you're here. I really thought you were gone... you... Fiona, Sasha... everyone... I looked for you. I used all the resources I had here to try, but I eventually just ... gave up. Figured if you were alive you'd have found me... like you said you would."

Rhys squeezed the hand back, tightly. "Yeah. When I found your glasses and... " He swallowed, "I thought you were gone. I... I almost didn't make it after that. I wanted to give up and just..." His words trailed off.

Vaughn leaned against him and rested his head a moment on Rhys' shoulder. "I lost the glasses while running from Vallory's goons. The bones... not sure what that's about... but considering the rate of death on this murder planet its as good as anyone's guess. Someone after me probably picked them up and got themselves eaten." He closed his other hand over Rhys' and rubbed his palm over it.

Rhys leaned against Vaughn in turn. He found it hard to look at his friend as a raw pain welled up inside him. Sitting beside him like this made it easier. He tried to change topics, "You look... awesome. This murder planet suits you more then Hyperion ever did. You're so confident. In charge."

"Heh... thanks. You look... really good too." He gave the hand sandwiched between his another squeeze before setting it back down in Rhys' lap. Reaching up, he slid his hand over the other man's still damp hair.

Rhys folded his hands in his lap. He waited all night to throw his arms around Vaughn and kiss him again, but at the moment he found himself timid and ashamed. Eyes closing, he breathed out a sigh at the touch as it slid down to the back of his neck.

"Are you okay?" Vaughn looked straight at him now, "Is this too much? You know its okay if you've changed your mind."

"I haven't changed my mind," Rhys snapped, sounding far more savage then he had intended.

"Good. Uh, Rhys... Come here." He used his leverage on the back of Rhys' neck to pull him close into a long, warm hug. Rhys slipped his long arms around him in turn and trembled as he buried his face into Vaughn's neck.

Strong hands started to caress his bare back, sliding under the sheet. The sensation of human contact after being so long starved for it produced a low whine from deep in his throat.

"Hey... hey... its okay," Vaughn said softly as he held him. "It's okay. You've been alone a long time, man, but you're not alone anymore. Let me take care of you." He instinctively took to rocking the other man, sensing he needed comfort more then anything. "I love you."

Rhys abruptly pulled away, folding his arms over his chest. His living eye had turned red and glassy and wetness accumulated around both eyes before spilling down his cheek. Vaughn let him go, reluctantly. "You shouldn't. I am a God damned _train wreck_ and I've never done anything but drag you down with me."

Vaughn's brow furrowed heavily, "I don't think that's true."

"The things I made you do for me... and Yvette... stabbing people we knew in the back... the things I did for my career, my ego... I knew you loved me and I exploited that."

"Woah ho-ho there! Slow down." Vaughn frowned and sat up straighter, countering, "You never made me do anything. Don't make me out to be some doe eyed innocent who followed you blindly because I was love struck. We were partners. We were _always_ partners. I wanted it all too, Rhys. Money... power... cars... stuff. I wanted it all just as much as you did. We all knew that if any of us stood a chance of getting highly promoted it was going to be you and we all did terrible things to try to make it happen." Vaughn poked a finger at the tall man's chest. "You don't get to take this all on yourself."

Rhys looked away, unable to look his friend in the face, "I killed people, Vaughn. Because of me, hundreds of people are dead."

Vaughn grasped Rhys' bare arm. "You didn't kill them. Jack killed them. You heard what Fiona said at dinner. He was crazy... he was killing people at random just to find you. That doesn't make it your fault. You stopped him."

"I was tempted to take the deal... even knowing what a ... Psychopath he was... If I had fought him more or trusted him less I might have avoided so much. I'm sorry. I wanted this to go better. I am fucking this up right now - because, inevitably I fuck everything up. You should just... hit me. Punch me. Kick me. I don't deserve you being so ... nice."

Vaughn stood up abruptly. Gently, he placed his hands on either side of that gorgeous face, tilting his head so that he could look him straight in the eyes. "I told you, twice. Now this will be the third time. _I. Love. You_. You said it before to me and I am not accepting take backs or do-overs... and I am most certainly not going to beat you up." He bent down to kiss his distraught beloved, only this time he pressed his lips to his forhead. They then moved to Rhys' ear, "But if you need to be punished... That, I can help with."

Rhys felt a tremor run through him and his eyes grew wide. The echo eye flashed and scanned Vaughn almost involuntarily in his surprise. They were so close he could feel the heat from the bare chested man's skin against his own, separated only by the thin sheet. He could smell his musky, masculine smell.

"You don't have to be embarrassed." He took to rubbing Rhys' back again, still hunched over, close and invading his personal space. "We've lived together forever... and you have left so much porn open over the years. Like so _SO_ much... for a while I thought you kinda wanted me to see it... but I'm digressing... What I am saying is, I think I know what you need."

Rhys felt light headed for a moment and overwhelmed. "You do," He said with meek certainty, his face flushed crimson.

Vaughn stood straight again and looked down at him. "If any of it gets to be too much... say... socks - no that sounds too close to stop... How about... stockings."

Rhys nodded his agreement, "Stockings..." His adams apple bobbed as he swallowed, now starting to feel a level of anxiety about the way things were progressing. Vaughn's hands were on his head again, stroking through his lovely hair, occasionally scratching his scalp with his nails.

"I can't guarantee no one will hear... if it gets loud."

"It's fine." Rhys sniffed and closed his eyes, starting to relax a bit under the attention. "These wierdos have replaced one fucked up hero with another one... and the sooner they stop that the better. I'm ready."

Vaughn pulled him up to his feet and pulled him down and in for another kiss. The sheet fell to the floor and their lips met passionately but tenderly. Emboldened, Vaughn rubbed his hands up and down Rhys' back before sliding his palms to cup each of his ass cheeks. The chill of the metal arm against his did not seem bother him in the slightest. By the time he pulled back from the kiss to languidly sit down in one of the armless conference chairs, Rhys found himself fully erect.

"Grab your belt from the screen and bring it over here." Something shifted in Vaughn's voice. This was no request, but a command. He looked at the other man's naked body openly, though his expression was calm and placid.

"Yes, Sir," He replied, sensing the dynamic shift. Vaughn had seen him naked casually far too many times for him to feign modesty, but he was still blushing hotly. He walked over to the makeshift privacy screen and carefully pulled his black, skagskin belt down and walked back to Vaughn. He doubled it over and handed it to him. It was set aside on the other chair, for the moment.  
"Over my knees you go, Rhys." He patted his lap. "I'm going to take care of you, my Love."

It was one of the pet names that Handsome Jack hadn't ruined. Rhys could have melted right there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working hard to try to be as cannon as I can while doing my own interpretation of the character's feelings, desires, and motivations. I hope I'm doing ok, because this is more of a blast then I ever dreamed it would be to write.


	4. Painful Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaughn gives Rhys what he needs: a thorough ass smacking.

Rhys stood in front of Vaughn for a moment while taking a deep breath in through his nose and releasing it out of his mouth. Building in his gut was a coward's urge to run away from the impending punishment, even as he felt it to be absolutely needful at the same time. He leaned forward carefully and Vaughn's hands were there to steady him as he folded himself over the much shorter man's lap. Being so tall and long legged his face was down near the floor near his splayed hands.

He felt one of Vaughn's legs move underneath him, sliding out so Rhys' legs were in between them now. Thus shifted, his face was even closer to the floor and its glossy floor tiles. The leg now pressed against the back of Rhys' locking him firmly in place. His pale, milky rump was positioned high up over his friend's knee. Unconsciously, he sucked his lip into his mouth and lightly bit down on the lower portion with his fine, white teeth.

A hand pressed down firmly between his shoulder blades. Another began to rub slow circles over one bare cheek of his shapely ass.

Vaughn's voice sounded low and almost distant, "We can't change anything that happened before, Rhys. All we can do is keep our eyes forward and work at not making those same mistakes over again." He seemed so self assured, so confident as he lead them both into his new territory. "Is there anything you want to say before I start?"

Rhys let his lip slide back out of his mouth. He didn't try to look up behind himself and instead stared at the floor. All he could force out was a higher then normal pitched, "I'm sorry."

"If you weren't before... you _will_ be," came the earnest reply.

The hand on his ass lifted and fell again, the flattened palm cracking against the spot it had previously been caressing. He sucked in a breath, gritted his teeth and exhaled a soft, whined, "A-ha-aaa." It seemed the bandit king was not interested in dishing out love taps.

Another swat rang out on the other side after a few seconds to let him recover from the first. "Did your girlfriends ever spank you?" His palm came crashing down again. "Or was all that interest always academic?"

Rhys hissed at the burning sensation, "Some! Some did!" The hand was on his behind again, rubbing and kneading is flesh.

"I _see,_ " When the next blow came it was lighter, but it was very quickly followed by another. There was an experimental quality to the barrage of swift, stinging blows that fell. Rhys writhed in spite of himself, but he was held down too firmly to do any more then that. His erection ground hard against the clothed leg below him. The stiffness against his leg implied that the other man was enjoying his work.

  
There was no speaking for a time. There was just the sound of skin colliding violently with skin at a slow and steady rhythm and the harshness of Rhys' breath. As the heat built and the palm prints started to bleed together into a unified front of redness, his cock softened. The pain was starting to get to him. He gritted his teeth as hard as he could and was unable to stop himself from drumming his feet against the ground.

  
Vaughn took a moment to rest his hand and groped one stinging cheek and then the other. The hand on his shoulder blades reached down and rubbed softly at the nape of his neck. "How are you doing?" the voice was low and velvety.

The reply was difficult as speaking would reveal the extent of the hurt he was trying to take manfully. He whimpered out, "Hurts."

"Yeaaaaaaaah," Vaughn agreed, still slowly skimming the abused skin with his fingertips. "I'm sure it does, but you're being _such_ a good boy."

The words hit him like a fist. He wanted - needed, to hear the praise. At the same time it only helped remind him of just how much he enjoyed it when he did something that pleased Handsome Jack. When the blows started falling again, they were welcome.

It became difficult to keep still. Vaughn's hand soon returned to his shoulder blades to keep him pushed firmly downward. it was difficult not to cry aloud as the blows continued to fall. "Ahhh! Ahhh! Oww... OWww... Ahauuuu!" His vocalizations of his pain just drove his paramour to strike him harder. The tears started to flow unchecked as he cried out, "Ahh, I'm sorry! Oh GOD... Ah ah Auuuuuuuuuhhhhhh."

His lover devoted some attention to the backs of his thighs before pausing to stroke the crimson skin again, "You can stop this... At any time," He gently reminded.

Rhys began to sob softly and shook his head. He would be damned if he would use the safe word. They were getting somewhere near to the catharsis he needed.

"Then I think its time for the belt." There was the sound of the buckle clinking against the side of the chair as he picked it up. "We're almost done."

Rhys whined like a wounded animal, high pitched and then followed it with a loud sob.

The cool leather felt almost refreshing against his skin as it was placed there, momentarily, to help Vaughn line up his blow. He had kept the implement folded over and held the buckle firmly in his hand.

  
When it rose and fell it felt like a brand of fire had exploded against his skin. The cry that ripped from his throat was mighty wail that turned to a hiccupping sob. These lashes were being aimed right at the very spot where the leg met buttock most deliberately.

There was not much time to recover before next lash struck. It was not quite so hard as the first, but still enough to keep the chastised brunette weeping freely. Vaughn's hand was on the back of his neck again and squeezed it softly before returning it to his shoulders.

Rhys let his forehead rest against the cool floor as he howled in pain with eyes and nose streaming snot, tears, and drool. There was no way to manage to keep his mouth closed enough to keep it in.

  
The belt landed smartly on his inflamed flesh a final time before he must have been judged sufficiently broken. As he wept pitifully, the belt was tossed back into the other chair.

Vaughn immediately began smoothing his hand all over his back while his leg loosened around Rhys' to free him. "There we go. It's all over now."

Rhys' legs felt weak as a kittens and Vaughn found he had to lift and carry him to the bed. Though he was plenty strong enough for it, Rhys was such a large, awkward bundle. Nonetheless, he laid him down on his stomach before fetching an unused towel and climbing into the bed beside the weeping man.

Rhys took the offered towel and buried his face in it, his shoulders shuddering. Vaughn settled into a laying position next to him and began to stroke a hand through his hair. "You just get it all out. You're a good guy, Rhys... We're not even the same people that we were when we came down to Pandora. If I have to, I'll spend whatever time we have left to convince you of it."

For a long time they lay there until the crying dwindled down to sniffles. Vaughn's comforting hands wandered between his hair, his back, and the nape of his neck to kindly comfort him.

Eventually, Rhys peered up with one bloodshot eye from his towel. Wordlessly, he wiped his face and turned to lay partially on his side so he could put his arms around his boyfriend and bury his face in those chiseled abs.

Vaughn pressed kisses into the hair at the top of his head. To Rhys, It felt like he had finally come home. When the waves of unconsciousness crashed over him at last. It was to be the best sleep he had in months.


	5. Guy Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning. Accords are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a little editing all the way through to try to make my middle of the night writing somewhat more coherent. :/ This chapter needed it the most. I had a lot of issues with the writing tense. Hopefully its better now. :D

It was hard to tell the time without a window. Rhys had no idea how long he slept. When his eyes finally started to open he had to double check on the Echo eye which confirmed that he had been a sleep for many hours. His head hurt faintly and the skin on his face felt gross. He sniffled hard and coughed, trying to clear his airways. Sadly, everything down to the taste in his mouth felt unpleasant after falling asleep post wailing-like-a-complete-and-utter-mess.

Just sitting up brought a jolt of remembered pain and he groaned involuntarily. Reaching back he probed the damage with his long, slender fingers. It was sore, for sure. Ungracefully, he rose to try to make himself feel more like a human being. On the way to wash his face he saw that the basin was cleaned and fresh towels had been brought in.

There were also two large mugs sitting side by side with a piece of fruit and some manner of jerky on top of the crate that held the basin and pitcher. One mug held brown liquid, the other one appeared to be water. A tent card made of a piece of torn notebook paper rested in front of the mugs. It was written in Vaughn's precise handwriting in black ink. It read, "Drink These - Dehydration Sucks." The note under the fruit declared, "Eat Me - You Missed Breakfast." It teased a smile from Rhys' lips. He took a sip the tea. It was cold, likely left a long while ago. After washing his face and getting dressed, he drank both of the mugs and devoured the food. He located Vaughn's hairbrush make sure he looked reasonably human before venturing out a bit to find the bathroom.

With no desire to speak to anyone other then Vaughn still, he returned to the room to after finished. Settling on his stomach on Vaughn's bed, he held up his robotic palm and pulled up some data on one of the many projects he started at Atlas. There was a part of him that wanted very much to talk to the others, but he decided he would rather wait and speak to Vaughn first. He felt more like himself today and he had to be certain that things were not going to be weird between them.

An hour later Vaughn arrived back into the room to Rhys' great relief, "Hey! Sorry I slept so long." He hopped up from the bed trying to conceal his wince but he was terrible at hiding that sort of thing. "Thanks for bringing me breakfast."

Vaughn crossed the room to give him a tight hug, "You're welcome. I couldn't wait for you to wake up and you looked so peaceful I wanted to let you sleep. I swear, there is always some crisis going on here at any given time. Don't worry, though, I just told everyone you were coming down with something and it was best to leave you sleeping. So if you're not up for other people you can hang here all day."

Rhys quirked a brow, "So you lied... to our friends... literally hours after we agreed that we were going to try to be better people?"

"Well, it sounds _terrible_ when you put it that way, and I can _gladly_ go tell them the truth if you'd prefer," Vaughn said with a certain smugness.

"No! That's... ah... we're not doing that."

"That is what I thought." Vaughn beamed before his face shifted to a more cautious expression. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I really wanted to talk to you more... after last night. You're okay, right?"

Rhys joined him, sitting down carefully, and leaving them physical space to talk. "Yeah. I'm good. C'mon, Vaughn. I've been through worse pain then this." He chuckled.

"I am not talking about physical pain. I know you can take more physically. I am talking about you, as in the person. The guy around the robot eye and cold metal arm. You were pretty shook up. I guess, I just wanted to know if it helped."

Rhys' head bobbed in agreement, "Yeah. I wanted things to be a little more... sexy and a lot less... sobby when we finally hooked up. I'm embarrassed I fell asleep before I could even..." He gestures vaguely. "Do things for you. You seemed... _preeeetty_ game for - all of that."

Vaughn leans back on his arms back on the bed, "I was. Hitting you may turn out to be my new favorite hobby. Stress relief after dealing with the people I can't hit... well can - but, _probably_ shouldn't."

Rhys snorted and looked away before venturing to ask the question that was on his mind, "I have to ask you... Why did you never ask... or say anything... out of all those years. Remember all those times we drank too much in our dorm in college. The Hjs on the couch." He said it low like someone might be listening and they were still on the down low.

"Yes... I do remember. Vividly, because I never drink as much as you do... and I _also_ remember you seeming to pretend like they didn't happen afterward and me being too worried to lose friendship to bring it up. Do you remember when we did all those shots on your birthday and I blew you before you went on a date with Brenda from R  & D... and then you came back the next morning and tried to tell me all the gross shit you did with her?"

"Errrrrrr yeaaaaaah." Rhys bit his lip. "Yeah, that wasn't good."

"No, frankly, it was not." He shrugged, "But I honestly don't think it would have ... worked up there anyway... Us. But still... don't pull the 'why didn't _you_ ' on _me_. You were always on and off with girls in spite of the fact that I've always known you're a... sexual omnivore. You knew I was gay."

Rhys chuckled and joked lamely, "I'm a sex bear."

Vaughn leaned forward to smack him in the real arm, with a smirk, "So that leads me to my question, Sex Bear. I know what we did back in the before times... and I know from your gross tales of conquest that you have done anal with women... and I know about all your favorite pornographic search words dating up to the era before you got the robot arm like the absolute madman you are... but have you ever actually been with a guy. Have you been fucked by a guy is what I am getting at."

"Well... Kinda? More of a ... Stacy had this... strap on..." He never used to blush like this talking about sex with his friend, "Let's just say that the Sex Bear is all good on that front." He gave a robotic thumbs up and the stupidest grin that looked half like a grimace. "Not a virgin."

Vaughn rolled his eyes and said with deadpanned delivery, "You've had gay sex with a woman. Congratulations." Then he sighed, "I just want to make sure that you want to be with me Rhys."

Rhys tried not to look as hurt by that as he felt, "Of course I do. I just... I always thought the same things... that it would mess up our friendship, or make things weird at work, I don't know. Any exploitable personal situation there and it was like there was blood in the water," His voice turned soft and serious, "But I am ashamed of that. That I was too afraid to tell you... Hell, if you left it to me... I probably never would have said anything." He reached over and put his hand on the other's knee. "You're ... braver then I am. Here you are... protecting all the people left from Helios and you being the guy that never wanted children, much less to control this circus, cleaning up my mess."

"Rhys..." Vaughn was very serious now, "I need to know if you're going to stay here. Assuming we kill the Vault monster and save Gortys... because I really could use the help. They're getting better - sort of. I know you have Atlas... and I know its really important to you... but... I need you."

"I'll stay Vaughn. I'd be Pandora's biggest bastard if I just left you shouldering all of this. Like you said earlier: We're partners."

Vaughn practically launched himself at Rhys and hug-tackled him back against the bed. "This is great! Hell yes! I have so many plans."

Moaning Rhys tried to shift a bit but Vaughn held him down and kissed the side of his face, "There's things I need to pick up... things I was working on before I left... Things I would need to transport here."

Vaughn was overwhelmed with enthusiasm, "Yes! Anything! It will be done. I was kind of thinking... we have ourselves a bit of a labor force here. We could really make a go of something with this manpower... and should we ever have enough money to have to count it I would make an excellent Chief financial officer for Atlas. I'm just saying."

Rhys warmed quickly to the ideas Vaughn was spouting, but he had more of an interest in stopping his mouth from moving so fast. He pressed his lips tightly to Vaughn's and effectively silenced him. It was time for celebrating instead.


	6. Entwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the smut.

Rhys reached up and slid his fingers in to Vaughn's hair and carefully prized the hair tie out of  the ponytail so he could card his fingers through the strands and feel how long it had grown. Their lips remained intermingled, with the bandit starting to probe inside his mouth with a deft tongue, while at the same time using his strong arms and legs to push Rhys flat onto his back. That accomplished, he took both the metal and flesh wrists and pinned them to the bed on either side of Rhys' head while crawling to sit on his midsection, pressing the growing bulges in their pants together. It also pushed the tall man's abused ass harder against the bed made him moan into the unbroken kiss.

Vaughn eventually sat back a bit, keeping Rhys' arms held down but allowing them to look at each other as he straddled his tall, gorgeous, boyfriend. Rhys drank him in with his eyes. He looked so fantastic with his long, dark hair down. It was not a style he had ever attempted before. His eyes were radiant with the thrill of loving authority as he spoke, "I have waited for this for so, _SO_ long. You are _Mine_ now... and I am going to ravish the ever-loving hell out of you."

Rhys nodded silently, struck mute by the awe of the moment. He had always found his best friend adorable; even back in college when Vaughn was a bit heavier. Now, though, he looked like some sort of god made flesh while still being somehow the same old nerdy best buddy he always was. When he was able to reply all his mind could find to say was, "Yes, Vaughn."

"Ah ah... What happened to _Sir_?"

"Yes, _Sir_... Can I... make a request?"

"Of course."

"Can I undress you? I _really_  want to see you naked."

Vaughn smiled at that and released his arms, "Yes." He climbed off of Rhys carefully and stood up next to the bed.

Rhys got to his feet as well and reverently started to remove Vaughn's clothing.

The other man took the opportunity to remind him of the finer details, "Same rules as last night. If you need me to stop anything, what do you say?"

Rhys chuckled as he not only removed, but neatly folded the clothing and piled it on the bed, "Stockings. I remember." His brows lifted into what he had hoped came across as a sensual sort of expression as he added, "Sir."

"Good... I really could have used this new, trainable Rhys a long time ago."

Rhys replied coyly, "Well, you should have started smacking me sooner." With a bit more seriousness he added, his hands carefully removing the other's pants, "I know I was... really selfish. Pretty much my whole life. You always deserved so much more from me." His train of thought became derailed and he exclaimed, "Even your legs have definition - you are killing me."

Vaughn stepped out of his pants now having on just his boxer shorts. "Heh! I do a lot of walking now. And... you were selfish... but here we are with time for you to make it all up to me. Starting with the fact that you have never once given me head." He seemed to enjoy the guilty look that came over Rhys' face. "Take your clothes off too. All of them."

Rhys flushed and quickly shed his articles of clothing as Vaughn moved over to the bed. He grabbed a blanket from off of the bed and carried it over to the conference chairs. He dropped it on the floor in front of the chair.

"Come on over here and kneel down."

Rhys walked over and kneeled down on top of the blanket. Vaughn was so thoughtful, even as a dominant, that it caused a surge of warmth that seemed to spread in his chest. He was fairly certain it was love, but lust was as equal a culprit. Eagerly, he reached his fingers up and slid them into the waistband of Vaughn's boxers to lower them carefully. Finally that engorged cock was free. "Sit... and let  _me_ take care of _you_."

Vaughn smiled and sat with slightly spread legs. He stretched his arms back and laced his fingers behind his head, which only made his chest muscles stand out more prominently.

Rhys scooted closer. Instead of making immediately for his cock, he opted to slide his hands up and down his lovers legs, feeling all the firm muscle. He wrapped one hand around the base of his lover's manhood and squeezed it gently while he leaned into kiss his abdominals and then his pectorals with tongue moistened lips. "You're a beast..." Some thoughts that might not be appropriate to the situation flood his head, mainly all the times even Handsome Jack had sounded on the hot and bothered side about Vaughn's body. For once in his life he was able to stop his stupid mouth from saying something to spoil the moment. He decided to go back to compliments instead, "you're so buff... I can barely deal with it."

Vaughn seemed beyond pleased as he watched Rhys through half lidded eyes.

Rhys licked his lips again, getting them good and moist before craning his neck down between Vaughn's legs and tracing a circle around the head of Vaughn's penis with his tongue.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh." Vaughn breathed, "That's... nice..."

It was a new experience for Rhys and while it felt a bit strange at first, he was quickly able to get into the spirit. With no experience from the giving end, he could only draw upon all of those he had received over the years. He slid his lips along the tip wetly while still making light little tongue strokes. His partner's moans encouraged him and he slowly slid his mouth down over the shaft.

Vaughn's put one hand into Rhys' hair and stroked it softly while he worked his cock. "That's... Good. _Really good_." Then he gasped, "Oohhhhh God. Rhys, _baby_ , you're so good."

His lovers words made the hair on the back of Rhys' neck stand up at the intrusive memory, but he forced himself to keep on. He slid his lips back close to the tip and then down the length of Vaughn's sex to meet the hand wrapped around the base of the shaft. This was Vaughn talking, not Jack. Jack had never meant a word of anything he said to Rhys. He was a psychopathic, manipulative murderer. Vaughn meant what he said, the love in his voice clear as a bell.

Rhys made the conscious decision to focus on that. It worked and in no time he found renewed energy to try to make this the best experience he could be for the man who loved him so much. He remembered the little corkscrew motion one of his girlfriends used to do and attempted it. It seemed to drive Vaughn mad as he moaned loudly and his fingers tightened in Rhys' hair.

"Okay... that's enough..." Vaughn said after a few more minutes of bliss.

Rhys ceased his ministrations a bit reluctantly, having enjoyed the act of service. He let the rigid flesh slide from his lips.

Vaughn's hand reached out to take him by the chin. With thumb he wiped away a stray bit of saliva from Rhys' lips. Smiling, he then stood, grabbing his partner by the under arms and heaved him onto the bed.

Rhys landed with an mild cry of protest on the bed and crawled closer to the center where he watched his lover snatch a small tube from somewhere on his folded pile of clothing. It struck Rhys as hillarious when he realized what it was. With a laugh, he said, "Is there some sort of quarter master for lube rationing?"

Vaughn stopped where he stood and gave him a very wry look that caused Rhys to stop laughing and start blushing.

"So you told Yvette you were taking me to pound town?" Rhys covered his face with his robotic palm, looking at Vaughn between his fingers.

"Oh, you bet I did... like she wouldn't have assumed it anyway. She's been nagging me for  _years_ about getting with you," Vaughn admitted as he climbed back into the bed.

"When? Geeze... best friend conspiracies!"

Vaughn moved the metal hand away so he could kiss Rhys' mouth. "What matters is... she loves you, too. I meant to tell you last night: I'm so proud of the way you made up with her. She told me everything that happened up there. She's really been my rock down here. I mean, I was immensely hurt by what she did, but Hyperion such a meat grinder... and I just couldn't stay mad. With you not around, she really helped me keep it together so I could keep all these people together.

Rhys smiled softly up at him, "I am glad she is with you... us... Uh, I am also really glad there's lube."

Vaughn reached out to pinch one of Rhys' nipples. "I'm reserving the right to tell gory details, and she will probably reserve the right to harass you about them."

Rhys snickered, but didn't doubt that either of those things were true. "My life is about fifty percent awkwardness, so... why not."

Vaughn grinned wolfishly as he sat back again and spread some of the clear liquid on his fingers before setting the tube aside. He worked the lube over his fingers before wrapping his hand around Rhys' erection and working it back up to full mast with deft digits. "You might as well embrace it."

Rhys hummed with pleasure, eyes closed until Vaughn flipped him onto his stomach. Unexpectedly came to sound smacks, one to each cheek. "Oww....Ooh." He squirmed against the bed.

"Relax," Vaughn said as he got on his knees looming over his partner. One hand then started to rub Rhys' lower back while the other pinched the sore bottom flesh while noting, "I really like this color on you," before dipping down to the cleft and circling around his entrance.

Rhys whined uselessly and did his best to relax as the finger slowly pushed into him. It was uncomfortable at first. He gripped his hands in the sheets and spread his legs wider. Vaughn worked the finger inside him carefully as he continued rubbing the other's back. "Ooohhh... _sir_..." Rhys murmured into the blankets.

A second slick finger joined the first with equal caution and he gently worked to stretch Rhys' hole to accommodate him.

Eventually the fingers were removed and he could soon feel Vaughn moving to kneel in between his legs. Hands groped his hips hard and pulled him up to his knees. It was a bit painful though the masochist in Rhys was pleased with that. One hand remained on Rhys' hip while the other reached out to grab the tube and spread some lubrication his rigid sex organ.

"Time to stake my claim to your vault."

"Please," Rhys mewled, ashamed at his extreme need to be taken and way too aroused to respond to that terrible line.

Vaughn eased himself inside of his lover to the sound of Rhys aching moan. The first few thrusts were tentative and experimental, but the sounds his lover made egged him on. Then, they camea little faster and a little harder. Vaughn kept one hand tightly on the other's hip but slid the other one up his back and then to around the front of his chest. He pulled Rhys up so his back was against his chest as he thrust in to him. From this angle he could apply liberal kisses and bites to the tattooed shoulder. So secured, he could also drop the hand from Rhys hip and reach around to provide attention to his engorged cock.

Rhys' head felt incredibly light. He had had sex plenty of times in his life but this was different and not just because it was his first time having full intercourse with a man. It was the first time he ever truly felt something while lost in carnal pleasures.

Vaughn's thrusts became harder and more urgent. Quicker then he would have liked the lankey brunette became overwhelmed. "I'm going to...Ahhhhahhh.. Can I? _Please_?" he sputtered out.

"Yesss," Vaughn hissed, "I want to feel you come, Rhys. You are so good. Such a good boy."

Rhys came savagely, losing his load into the sheets with a sob that sounded as much like he were being murdered as reaching climax.

Vaughn bit the back of his neck, riding him through his orgasm. His own was not far behind, especially with the way Rhys' muscles clenched around him. He moaned against Rhys' hot skin as he released inside his partner; holding the other man tightly to him until the last twitch of his orgasm had passed. Reluctantly, he slid free of the tight hole as he eased Rhys back down onto the bed. Then, he too lay down before pulling Rhys into his arms to hold him.

They both breathed in and out deeply. Rhys eyes were wet, so Vaughn kissed them. "You're so beatiful. And so mine," he whispered as he held him close.

For a long while they lay in each other's arms, each feeling more whole then either of them ever had before.

 


	7. Handsome Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It gets a little Rhacky as Rhys gets some more things off of his chest.

Rhys got up after a while and decided to tidy up after them, leaving Vaughn lazing naked on the bed. Before fixing his hair, Rhys put on the borrowed and somewhat ill fitting clothing on and snatched up his belt to put it on. He was quiet while he did so. His stomach felt tight again as the afterglow of lovemaking ebbed away and the cold, hard state of anxiety where Rhys had truly lived for the past several months crept back upon him. "Could you get dressed?" Rhys knew as soon as he said it that his delivery was leaning towards passive-aggressive, but he also could not make himself apologize or explain.

"Sure," Vaughn arose at once amenably and started to dress. He said nothing else for a few minutes but the silence became oppressive. "What's going on, Bro?" he asked with a deliberately casual tone.

Rhys shrugged, "It's nothing."

"If it were really nothing you wouldn't look like a kicked puppy."

Rhys went about making the bed with no reply.

Vaughn opted to let him brood for a few more minutes while he completed getting ready. He tied his hair back up into its previous place. Looking back over to his lover he finally said, "I'm not above resorting to enhanced interrogation methods, you know, but I would really prefer that like people in relationships do, you speak to me of your own free will. The silent treatment, your whole avoidance shtick, it's never done us any good."

Rhys slumped down into one of the conference chairs, looking weary. "I know. It's just that I don't like talking about... things... but there are some things I should tell you."

Vaughn sat down in the chair across from him and watched Rhys with an encouraging nod, "Good. Anything you need to say, it's fine."

"Did you ever meet Handsome Jack?"

"No," Vaughn replied with a bit of discomfort in his voice, "I saw him a few times, sure, but I was more then happy to stay off his radar."

"I think there may be something... very seriously wrong with me. Well I, I... idolized Jack. You were right all along... I was obsessed with him."

"Dude, I know."

"I knew what he was all about and still I thought that what he was... was something to aspire to. To be like him. To have power over people's lives and deaths. The freedom to not just to create but to destroy."

Vaughn shrugged, "Powerful people can be incredibly attractive. I'll admit he had a terrifying sort of magnetism. Not really my thing, but sure, I get it."

"Vaughn... having him in my head... I still don't think... It's still something that I'm not... over."

Vaughn reached over and took Rhys' robotic hand in his own and squeezed it, "Anything you need to tell me, you can tell me. Whatever else we are now, we're still friends... and you can always talk to me." He paused and added, "I won't be angry, not at you."

"He used me... Vaughn...and he did it because I let him. When I put him in my head... I didn't know what I was doing... but at the Gortys facility in Old Haven... I let him in deeper... gave him control and access to me, my robotics, my memories," Rhys rose and started to wander about the room. It was easier to talk without looking at Vaughn's sweet and patient face. "It was to save us... so he could use my systems to hack the drones... but after... he used everything about me he could... against me... and I knew he was bad news but I still liked... so much of it."

"He manipulated you... and I know it has to feel awful to be used but... in the end... you were able to recognize it for what it was. I'd really like you to give yourself some credit on that one," Vaughn insisted.

Rhys heaved a sigh, "He called me pet names, Vaughn. I was so... thrilled when he would praise me for obeying him... or compliment me. He knew I was... into him... and he ... used that against me too."

Vaughn rose and met him half way through his pacing to take him by both arms. They stood face to face, "There's nothing wrong with you. You have been through an... incredibly traumatic experience and one you've already suffered so much from. It's going to take time, for you to make peace with all of this... but you need to know that I don't blame you... and I'm not mad at you for what happened with you and Jack." He tugged at Rhys' artificial hand. "I blame myself, a bit, for not trying more strenuously to talk you out of doing this to yourself in the first place. I never wanted this for you."

Rhys smiled sadly, his echo eye taking on a soft glow, "I still probably wouldn't have listened. It was good for my career... so I did it... and... I don't know we'd have made it out alive down here if I hadn't done it... of course we also might never have been in that situation if i hadn't."

"Maybe not..." Vaughn lifted his hand to brush Rhys' cheek and then the port on the side of his temple. His index finger felt the circular smoothness of the indentation as he looked into Rhys' eyes. "Thank you for talking to me and trusting me. Any time you need to talk more about this... just come and do it."

Rhys smiled down, looking a bit more at ease, "Thank you, for knowing me better then me."

"You're welcome." He went up on tip toes to kiss Rhys on the lips possessively. When the kiss subsided he said, while threading his fingers into Rhys', "I am full committed for the long haul, my love. If you need it, we can even set up another motivational counseling session, with your belt, to help you through this guilt you're holding on to."

Rhys blushed and said ruefully, "Maybe... not too soon."

Vaughn grinned mischievously at that, "We'll see. Unfortunately, I should probably go down and check up on everyone... It's been a while. Are you feeling up to venturing out?" 

Rhys took a deep breath while he debated it, though in the end he could not deny that he felt better now for having gotten these things off of his chest, "Yeah. I think... I think I am."

"Good, then come on..." Vaughn lead him over to the door and opened it up like a gentleman, waiting for Rhys to pass through.

 


	8. Getting By with a Little Help from a Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys continues dealing with the fallout of everything with a friend.

A good stretch of the afternoon hours were spent with Rhys following Vaughn about the camp. The day was oppressively hot as he walked along and learned what he could. He listened intently and suggested improvements as they came to his mind.

There were many people amongst the Children of Helios that he either did not know or knew by name only. He introduced himself to them with the request that they please just call him Rhys, because anything else made him uncomfortable.

There were also people he did know, for better or worse. The real problem was all the people that were not there. Against his better judgment, he couldn't stop asking Vaughn questions about the fate of various associates. They had both worked at Hyperion so long that there was a hefty list of co-workers, contacts, lovers and casual friends that were confirmed dead or unaccounted for and presumed dead.

Vaughn was keeping an eye on him, he could see, and surely was able to judge his gradual slide into moroseness. "We've got a few hours before dinner... though I still have some things to do... How about we find Fiona or LB? You can catch up with them while Yvette and I take care of some things."

"Do what you have to do, Babe," Rhys replied, trying out the endearment and attempting to make himself sound casual. "I can find them, or entertain myself..."

Vaughn seemed to weigh that in his mind a moment before saying, "Okay... Yeah, that will work. Then I'll see you at dinner?"

"It's a date," Rhys raised both hands in finger guns and fired at his partner's wonderful chest before 'firing'.

Vaughn raised one hand over his heart and dutifully performed his best death rattle before crossing the gap to Rhys and snatching him up for a quick, tight squeeze and peck on the side of his chin.

"Drink something..." As he saw the dark look cross Rhys' face he added, "Okay?"

"I've managed to keep alive so far. I'm pretty sure I don't need to be reminded of basic functions... but if it will stop you acting like a grandmother then I will. Now go on, shoo. I am fine."

Vaughn agreed with a jokingly sleazy tone, "You sure are."

Rhys took him by the shoulder and pushed him off in a random direction, "Goodbye, Vaughn!"

Rhys watched him bustle off in quiet contemplation. Vaughn seemed possessed of an enviable amount of energy and quick thinking in his new life while Rhys only felt a great amount of fatigue. Even after all these months he was still not used to the length of the Pandoran days and the way it affected his sleep cycle. He made the decision to go back to the room he now shared and sleep in the attempt to avoid his buzzing brain from needling him with intrusive reminders of sharp regrets.

He had not been much beyond twenty minutes of laying his back on the bed staring at the ceiling when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!"

It was more of a surprise when Fiona sauntered in, "It's me. Please don't be naked."

Rhy looked surprised and sat up, "Fiona. Hi... Can I help you?" He tried to smooth his hair back with his flesh hand. "You can sit..." He gestured to the chairs.

She shut the door behind herself and said, "Sure... So, why don't you tell me what's going on with you." She crossed the room quickly and settled down onto one of the chairs.

She was a blunt woman and he appreciated that about her, but he did not feel inclined to opening up. "Nothing going on here. Just... me... relaxing after being kicked, punched, dragged and death marched across the wastes by my long-lost Loader Bot."

Fiona invited herself to put her feet up on the other conference chair, while looking at Rhys pointedly, "First Vaughn said you were sick... then he said you weren't sick... and now he asked me to check up on you, before asking me not to tell you that he's asked me to do it. So what is up?"

Rhys pursed his lips and thought out his reply, "He's just worried about me."

Fiona tilted her head slightly at that and asked, "Should we be?"

He shrugged in response, "I'll be fine... It's just been... a stressful few days."

"For damn sure." She shook her head, "I wanted to tell you... I sent out messages to all our contacts... seeing who else we can get to help. We should have responses back before long. We'll figure how we want to play it, then."

Rhys nodded, before asking with obvious excitement, "Did you try to contact Zer0?"

She smirked at him, "I did... You are so weird, Rhys. It's like you have a teenage girl crush on everyone."

Rhys protested, "It's not a crush. I just... admire his work..."

"Suuuuuuuuure. This is my 'I believe you face'." She grinned, "So you and Vaughn, huh? I didn't know you guys were together."

"We weren't... we were roommates since college... and then roommates at Hyperion. We've always had a history," He folded his hands together and watched them on his lap, "We had a kind of a friends with benefits...thing? I was too stupid to see how good he was for me. He finally got up the nerve to tell me how he felt at Old Haven... just before he escaped. I didn't tell that part to you and LB because.... it was all I had of him left. I just wanted to keep it - for myself."

She nodded, solemnly, "Must have been hard thinking he was dead... and that we'd left you behind." There was a brief pause and Rhys opened his mouth to speak before Fiona cut him short again, "I'm sorry... For being so angry... but you didn't tell us about Jack... and... I didn't know what to think... and I made some bad assumptions..."

"So did I... and I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have. He was just too deep in my cyber ware. He could hurt me, you know... and he did."

Fiona shook her head, most likely wondering what the hell was wrong with him, "Just promise me you'll be real careful what you jam in in your head from now on, you idiot. See, this is a prime example of how you are weird. Normal people don't get robot parts grafted onto them. Tell me at least that you had problems with the stuff they took out... Like a claw hand or .... blindness.... something I could understand."

Rhys frowned and admitted, sensing her prejudgment on the issue, "No... I got this huge bonus from an... a deal Vaughn and I put together... and you have NO idea how much easier it is to data mine with this gear, especially with my computer skills...It was supposed to give us a huge advantage. It did."

Fiona shook her head again, "So weird."

"You know, if you're supposed to be here cheering me up, you're doing a really crappy job."

"He didn't ask me to cheer you up, he just asked me to keep an eye on you."

Rhys let himself fall backwards on the bed, long legs still dangling over the side and his hands folded over his chest, "You don't have to stay. I have no idea why Vaughn thinks I need to be so... monitored."

"If you want me to leave... I can leave." Putting her feet down she rocked up out of her chair to look down her nose at him.

"Fine. Get out. I don't care."

She turned, as if to go. After a moment of decision she was settling down on the bed next to him, "Rhys, Come on. Stop it. I didn't come just because he asked me to. I came because we're friends... right?"

Rhys turned his head in her direction looking up at her with a lip that was so downright pouty that he'd been embarrassed if he even realized how he looked, "I hope so."

"Well we are. We both... did some stupid things... mistakes were made. I didn't come here to antagonize you. I really wanted to talk to you... I'm kind of starting to get why he's worried about you," her lips turned up into a smile, but her eyes seemed sad.

"In a few days I will be lively as ever and you won't have to strain yourself trying to be nice to me."

"Good, because we'll need you at the top of your game... whatever that is... by the time we try to free Gortys." She patted him on the shoulder.

"For that sweet, round, brutally honest little face I could do anything."

"Yeah. Me too. And we're gonna," she grinned down.

"You know... I'm a little less afraid of the Vault monster then I might be of dating my best friend. I think he's too good for me," He gave her a slight grin back.

"Coward," she teased, "He is entirely too good for you... but you're honestly seem pretty good for each other. Just try not to, Rhys up the situation too much and I'm sure you'll be fine. After all you're Brofriends, boybros?"

Rhys rolled his eyes, "Stop... Just stop."

"Vault hunting gentlebro lovers?"

"I'm not above hitting women."

They were laughing, talking and joking a few hours later when Vaughn finally came to fetch them for dinner. Rhys thought he could detect a self satisfied look in the bandit's eye as he lead them off to dinner.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fiona is harder work to write, but I love her so.


	9. Dinner and a Nightmare

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at dinner. Rhys sat between Vaughn and Yvette, across from Fiona and Loader Bot. The robot, naturally, was not eating but nonetheless was good company.

The stories and banter told while eating were not grim stories of survival tonight but rather an eclectic mix of embarrassing stories of misspent youth. Fiona spoke of a botched con she pulled with Sasha when they were teens. It wound up with them needing to be rescued by Felix. The ex-Hyperion contingent, Loader bot excluded, talked about college and their years working for Hyperion with all of its myriad dysfunctions. The room was filled frequently with laughter and on one occasion Rhys and Vaughn both got laughing so hard they snorted. Fiona and Yvette may have bonded a little over their mutual declarations of the men's nerdiness. When he had finished eating, Vaughn hooked an arm around Rhys' waist and squeezed his leg every so often as they talked.

Though it wasn't dark, it was about the time that the humans needed to break for some hours of privacy and sleep.

Yvette assured Vaughn that she would be awake until he was up again. Vaughn was saying goodnight to Fiona and Loader Bot when his other best friend walked up to him and gave him an eye brow wiggle before moving in for a hug. He found it slightly curious as she wasn't much of a hugger, normally. Squeezing him, she murmured close to his ear, "I'm really happy for the both of you, Rhys. You be good to each other... because I swear, if you treat him like you did some of your girls..."

"Yes... implied threats of violence.... I know," He chuckled, gave her a peck of a kiss on the cheek and let her go.

"You always were a smart, man. Good night Rhys," she the farewell in a sing song sort of way.

"Good night Yvette," He gave her a wave and collected Vaughn to depart for the night.

They were walking back to the room together when Rhys decided to broach the issue of his annoyance with Vaughn's earlier actions. He eased the first word out slowly, "Sooooooo, Fiona told me you sent her to look for me, earlier. Pretty sure I told you I would be fine when you tried to hook me up with a handler, then." It was an airy, low-key aggression of the passive kind, but nonetheless made his point.

Vaughn made no attempt to deny it, "I did," He agreed as he kept walking, perhaps just a little faster.

Rhys followed easily with long legged strides, prodding with his words, "She also mentioned you told her not to tell me."

"Guilty as charged," Vaughn nodded with a slightly deflated exhale. With distinct lack of apology, he finally said, "I just didn't think you should be alone."

"I can handle being alone... I was alone for months," He protested.

"That's why. You're not a lone wolf... that can't have been good for because you're too..." Vaughn cut himself off.

"I'm too what?" Rhys frowned, brows raising at the perceived indignity he suspected Vaughn was about to hurl at him. He stopped walking to force Vaughn to stop.

Vaughn stopped after a few more steps. Turning to face his companion, he said, "Can we argue in the bedroom at least, if we're going to argue?"

Rhys scoffed, "Oh this is an argument?" If things were going to be declared to be an argument, then he was more then happy to escalate. "Don't want to fight in front of 'The Children' eh?" Not that there were many people out in this hallway.

"Frankly, no? I don't want to be arguing at all." He folded his arms in front of himself. His voice grew a little higher, a little louder, and his speech came a little faster, "Was it douchey to ask Fi not to tell? Yeah. It was wrong... but I'm not sorry for being worried. I don't want you dwelling on all the... terrible things that happened... and honestly, Fiona helped, right?"

Rhys blinked, "Yes... but that's not the..." He looked away, "Fine. Let's... go inside."

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

When they entered the room, Rhys found his suit had been returned to him. Vaughn stripped off his upper clothing and started washing up. Rhys fondled the fabric of his jacket a moment quietly before going to sit on the bed and lean back against the wall.

Vaughn finally spoke, "I shouldn't have tried to go behind your back about it... but you looked so... full of despair earlier... and when you're hurting I just want to fix it."

"I'm not... mad. You've always done that for me... I guess I was mad but... but it wasn't really fair to you. I am... a bit all over the place, emotionally."

"Still ... maybe we need some... parameters. We haven't really... discussed much in terms of us. I don't want you to think that I've mistaken how I treated you in bed with the level of respect I have for you as a person. I'm not expecting you to obey me in all things and stay chained by my feet when we're not having wild orgasms... so you know."

Rhys chuckled, "Well, that doesn't sound all bad." He cleared his throat. "I don't think you think less of me for... that. Maybe I'm just a little nervous at ... giving up some autonomy at all, you know? Intimacy... is... a little scary."

Vaughn glanced over and said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but... I think that's kind of why your girlfriends always had expiration dates."

Rhys nodded his agreement, "It's hard... I guess I just want you to talk to me. If you really don't think I should do something, or should do something, I'd rather you just tell me that and for us to argue... then for you to let me think you trust me and then, not do so. I'd rather you forcefully tell me how you feel."

Vaughn hung up the towel he had used to wipe himself down and sat next to Rhys. Taking his hand, he met his eyes and promised, "I will." He leaned closer. "You know, I'm nervous too," he admitted just above a whisper.

"You shouldn't be." Rhys enveloped him in his arms and pulled him closer so they were sitting against the wall on the bed together with the shorter man leaning against his boyfriend, "You're doing an amazing job. I am not unaware of how hard I can be to deal with." His fingers rose up to brush through Vaughn's beard. "And earlier... that was... life changing," he practically purred out the last two words.

The compliment made Vaughn smile so sweetly that it made Rhys' heart ache. "It was for me, too. You are... so beautiful. The next time I want to look at your face."

"Anything for you, babe. I know I'd love to stare at your... manly physique," he looked down at Vaughn's chest.

Vaughn joked, "My eyes are up here, Mister." They both chuckled before Vaughn asked in surprise, "Damn, did we just skate through our first fight like nothing?"

Rhys looked amused, "I think we did."

Vaughn put his fist up and Rhys wasted no time in time moving his hand from Vaughn's face to complete the fist bump, "We are... awesome."

The sex that night was possibly better then before. Their foreplay had not gotten much beyond making out and clothed groping before they were worked up enough for Vaughn to start pulling off Rhys's garments and throwing them on the floor. Rhys was too aroused to worry about the small hypocrisy.

The bandit took his lover face to face with Rhys on his back, his ridiculously long legs bent and splayed out; with Vaughn for once towering over him. Rhys' face was a bright pink throughout and they both found themselves laughing more then a little at leg cramps and the little, amusingly awkward parts of sex. It lacked the raw need packed into their earlier session, but it was playful and leisurely.

When both were spent and washed up again and ready to sleep, they rejoined each other in bed to spoon.

Vaughn draped his arm casually around Rhys, being the big spoon in spite of the height difference. It took Rhys a while to finally sleep, and it was achieved through trying to put intrusive thoughts out of his mind. He patterned his breaths after Vaughn's soft sleeping breaths until he was asleep.

 

 

*******

　

Rhys woke up to Vaughn sitting up over him, holding him by his arms and shaking him roughly while shouting into his face, "Rhys! Wake up! Rhys." He sounded panicked.

Rhys was having one of the nightmares that had come frequently since the crash of Helios. He couldn't breathe. Jack was choking him with his own arm amongst the ruins of the CEO's office. Rhys realized as the nightmare slipped away and reality set in that he was being choked, by himself. His Robotic arm was firm around his throat and squeezing hard. His other hand was also at his throat, but not near so tight. A sheen of sweat covered him and he was shaking, eyes streaming with salty tears.

Vaughn's hands were on his wrists, trying to pull them away from his throat.

He consciously relaxed his grip on his neck and gasped, "I'm awake." Vaughn let go him, a bit reluctantly and Rhys sat up, "Oh ... fuck... that was awful."

"What... was that?" Vaughn reluctantly let the robot arm go and reached over to flip on a light.

Rhys chest heaved as he tried to will himself to calm down, eyes half lidding against the intrusive light. "Just... a nightmare..."

Vaughn climbed back over, fingers reaching out to the tall man's throat, "You were choking yourself... that's more then a nightmare."

"Don't..." he breathed hard, "Worry about it," Rhys raised the silver arm and blocked Vaughn from touching his throat, with unconscious violence.

Squinting, Rhys saw that the blood had drained from Vaughn's face and he looked exceptionally pale. Vaughn drew his hand back like he had been burned. "Look at your neck... because I'm worrying about it. I'm worrying a lot, Rhys!"

Rhys ground the knuckle of his natural hand into each eye to wipe away the wetness. "It's fine." His heart pounded hard and he felt dizzy and discombobulated. In these situations it was just best for him to sit and breathe until things calmed down and the panic subsided. He hunched forward and put his face in his hands, feeling the slight chill of the metal and the cool press of his flesh against his hot face.

Vaughn stayed on his knees on the bed, indecisive as to what to do to help. He rose and poured Rhys a mug of water from the pitcher and brought it back to bed, just holding it for now. "Just... Breathe... its all ok." He finally said, though really he sounded like he may have been reassuring himself as well. He carefully scooted closer and laid a hand on Rhys' back. He whispered after a few minutes, "He's gone... right?"

Rhys nodded and let his hands fall. He straightened and half turned to Vaughn, reaching out to take the mug. He gulped down the liquid before setting the cup on the bed. "Yeah... He's gone." Vaughn moved the mug to his makeshift nightstand and Rhys reached out to hold him while he was looking away. "I promise... I pulled out... everything... and I crushed it to be sure no one would ever see that son of a bitch ever again."

Vaughn looked nauseated at the mental image, "But then... what happened?"

"Whatever it is... is me, my brain, not the cyber ware." He squeezed the other tightly, sensing that Vaughn needed to be comforted as much as he did.

"This... this has happened before?"

"Yeah... not in a long time. I mean, I wake up ... at night... every now and again. I should have... warned you about that... but its usually not like this... usually its more... shouting, thrashing. I can get my own room if it ends up bothering you."

"Like hell." Vaughn declared, heatedly, "You are staying here, with me, where I can keep an eye on you, forever."

Rhys could not argue. It was the response he was looking for.

They both shifted, the position only being comfortable for so long. They resumed laying on the bed, and Rhys shimmied a bit lower and he could put his face against Vaughn's stomach. While they were settling Vaughn murmured, "I really wish I could have been there with you... to help you."

A ghost of a grin came over Rhys' lips, "Instead you were bad-assing it across Pandora, rescuing our corporate brothers and sisters. I think... that its good... you wound up where you needed to be."

"I suppose." Vaughn smoothed is hand over Rhys' hair and down the back of his neck again.

Rhys made a soft "Mmmmmmmmm" as he enjoyed the affection. "I just want to tell you ... Thank you... for everything... I couldn't be more proud of you if I tried. You were always great, but I always knew you'd feel so much better if you could just have more confidence and... stopped caring what other people thought about you... and here you are now, this ... amazing person... practically King of everything left of Helios... and you're still into me. Just... thank you."

Vaughn said, "Stop it before you make me cry, damn." He ruffled up Rhys' hair. "I suppose I can be honest now, with you... about something."

Rhys looked up at him with curiously.

"I had plan. To get you. The working out and getting toned up was step one. Step two was working my ass off to make sure we got you that stupid, stupid promotion. When we had money and clout, I was going to make a go of it. To see if I could get you to... see me the way I wanted you to. It's why I was so quick to throw in to screw Vasquez. He was going to fuck up everything and I couldn't let that happen."

Rhys' eyes shined with tears as he listened. When Vaughn was done speaking he said, "Well, you fucked up... because now you've overshot me, and are officially too good for me. I hope you're happy with yourself."

"Pshhhhhh," Vaughn rolled his eyes. "I'll be the judge of that." He kissed Rhys' head. "And... right now, I _am_  pretty damn happy."

 


	10. More Missteps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys struggles not to fight with everyone.

Rhys woke up to find his partner sitting up with his back against the wall. His eyes were closed, his head cocked to one side resting on one of his shoulders in away that looked uncomfortable. He was clearly asleep and snoring softly. Rhys found himself instantly prickled by the implication that he needed to be watched.

The Atlas CEO left his lover sleeping while he washed up and put back on his black suit. Though he had slept it was a little on the fitful side and he did not feel refreshed, but sleeping more also seemed pointless.

He rummaged through some of Vaughn's things in the pursuit of something reflective so that he could fix his bed head. Eventually he located a hand mirror. The first thing he noticed was that he had a rather ugly looking set of bruises on his neck that stood out rather obviously with his low necked shirt. "Errghh... Great." He was also dismayed to find he was starting to sprout a good deal of stubble. Finally, he brushed his hair. It, too, was letting him down this morning. At least he had his suit. It made him feel a little more in control, even if it was illusory.

Hearing Vaughn stir behind him, he turned back to him, "Heeyyy... good morning, sleepy guy."

Vaughn yawned and sat up to stretch, rubbing his undoubtedly sore neck. "Nnnggg... Morning." He cleared his throat. It was hard to understand what he said next as he tried to talk while yawning.

"What?" Rhys squinted as though that would somehow make him hear him better.

"Just give me a minute... to get dressed. I gotta go relieve Yvette... Did I oversleep?" Getting to his feet seemed to be a bit difficult. He yawned again and looked for the clock. "Shit, I did."

"Did you even get much sleep there, buddy?" Rhys enquired, dubiously.

"Oh Yeah," another yawn. He fumbled with his clothing, such as it was and Rhys moved into help him. With Rhys right in front of him it was easy for him to see the bruising and he it seemed to wake him up some, "Have you seen your neck? It looks terrible."

"It's _fine_..."

"It's not _fine_. It is the complete opposite of _fine_ ," Vaughn groused.

"What doesn't seem fine is you. Did you stay up and watch me sleep all night?" Rhys frowned as he asked, a look of clear displeasure on his handsome face.

"No," Vaughn replied firmly, but it was obvious to that he was lying. He looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Bullshit." Rhys fired back.

" _Fine_ , I did. You scared the piss out of me last night."

"Just... go back to bed, I can talk to Yvette... and handle anything that needs doing, you're no good like this."

Stubbornness was a bad trait that they both had in spades. Vaughn shook his head, "No. I have things to do. I'll be fine."

" _Fine_."

Vaughn nodded, blearily and said, sounding defeated, " _Fine_."

Trudging along in silence, Rhys felt the cold little fingers of doubt pulling at his chest. He didn't like the fighting but he could not seem to stop himself from getting so worked up. They had always had arguments before. It wasn't like this was new, but for Rhys he felt it should be different now. Why was it that nothing ever seemed to work out as well as it did in his head?

When they reached the room where they gathered to eat, Yvette and Fiona were already there. Fiona was clearly done eating, while Yvette was just sitting with an elbow on the table, looking tired.

Vaughn tried to sound lively, but it ended up just forced. "Good morning!"

Yvette looked from one man to the other, critically, though she said nothing about their respective appearances. "Good morning. Glad you're _finally_ up... I'm going to get some sleep," she yawned as she stood.

Vaughn waved her off, "Sorry, I over slept... Go get some sleep."

She rose from her seat and said, "Alright... see ya, Fiona... and Rhys, I got a razor for you. I'll send it by."

Fiona raised a hand to waive, though her eyes were pretty much stuck on Rhys' neck.

Rhys seemed pleased with that, "Oh, thanks! uh, sleep well."

Yvette said, "I plan on it." She sluggishly headed off for her quarters.

Vaughn sat heavily in a chair and grabbed some food to munch on.

Rhys sat down, looking to Fiona before looking away to the bowl of fruit, "Good morning." he reached out to pick up a small piece of drakefruit.

"Hey, guys," Fiona replied with a look on her face that the tall man interpreted as being judgment on her part, "Might not be the best thing to stay up all night banging when someone's waiting on you."

In retrospect, Rhys would realize that she was most likely just making a joke in an awkward situation, but in the moment he found himself start to lose it. He winged the fruit at Fiona's smug face. Luckily for the con artist, his aim was terrible and the drakefruit whizzed over her head and bounced off the wall, exploding wetly.

"What the hell, Rhys?" Fiona exclaimed, before retaliating by throwing the rind from her piece of fruit and nailing her attacker in the forehead before it bounced off, harmlessly.

Rhys' eyes blazed with rage as Vaughn's fist banged on the table loudly; startling both of them out of their argument to look over at him. "STOP!" He said loudly, before going quieter now that he had their attention, "Rhys... use your _words_... Fiona... uh, not a great time for jokes."

Fiona glared from Vaughn to Rhys. The latter was staying quiet and both hands were balled up into fists on the table. She put her hands up a bit, palms up in a gesture of surrender. "Sorry... You guys show up late... and looking like that... still no call for throwing shit, Rhys."

Vaughn explained while reaching out to take Rhys by the silver wrist, "Rhys' robot arm choked him in his sleep last night, during a nightmare. Those aren't hickeys. We're not teenagers, Fi."

Rhys sputtered, betrayed at their personal business being brought up at breakfast, "Oh, _come on_!"

Fiona's eyes grew big, "Whoa..."

Vaughn continued, patiently, "And he's angry with me because I care about him, and stayed up to make sure he didn't further harm himself."

Fiona looked at Rhys with genuine sympathy, "Oh _hell_ , Rhys... are you okay?"

"I'm not mad! And I don't need to be watched!" he said, heatedly. "And everything is great!"

He made a motion to Jerk his arm out of Vaughn's hand, but the other held firm, saying, "Rhys - Breathe. Take some really deep breaths. I think we need to do that right now... come on... breathe in."

Rhys looked positively murderous as glowered at Vaughn, but something in the other's pale eyes stole the agitation and soothed it down to quiet regretfulness. He took in a deep nasal breath and let it out through his mouth. Then he took another, and another.

"Fiona's our friend.. She deserves to know what's going on with you, given that you tried to assault her with fruit over some ribbing," Vaughn released his grip on Rhys; arm and rose to stand behind him to rub at his tense shoulders. "So keep breathing... Good... There we are."

Fiona looked away to give Rhys a moment to regain some sense of dignity, "I'm _really_ sorry you're... suffering, Rhys. I mean it."

Rhys exhaled miserably as he covered his face with his biological hand. He sounded a little more relaxed now, "Yeah. I'm sorry I... lost my temper."

"It's okay, don't mention it," she replied.

"See? Look at what we can achieve without fruit-based violence." Vaughn squeezed Rhys' shoulders one more time.

An uncomfortable silence hovered as Vaughn settled back down into his seat and started setting food and drink in front of Rhys. "Eat something."

Rhys finally dropped his hand from his face and picked up the mug. He took a long draught from it before he said, "I don't... really get it. I was calmer when I was alone. Getting used to all this is..." he gave a sort of sad chuckle, "Way harder then I thought it was going to be. It's not like I haven't encountered people since I left Atlas... but I spent so long thinking... things... now that I'm here its hard to stay in the present and feel comfortable."

"It's just going to take time," Vaughn spoke, tenderly.

Fiona agreed with a bob of her head, "If you need anything... just ask. We're here for you."

Vaughn advised with the same kindness to his words, "Try to be patient with yourself, and maybe, if you start to find yourself getting angry, try the breathing or thinking harder on what's actually bothering you."

Rhys nodded his agreement, "Thanks, both of you. I think... I'm going to try to get into the computers today. See if i can link us up to the Atlas network so I can download some more data from the systems out there. Get some things done..."

"That's a great idea. Make yourself at home." Vaughn said after a sip of water, "I'm going to head out quick... get some things done and then take a nap as soon as I can. I feel... barely functional."

Fiona said, to Rhys, "I might join you... We still need to see if we can find more information on the Traveler."

Rhys swallowed a bite of fruit and said, "Yeah... definitely... I can help with that, too. I'd like that."

Vaughn finished the rest of his water before setting his mug aside, "Alright then, Good. We have plans. I'll see you both later then." He rose to his feet and kissed Rhys on the cheek before he whispered, his lips tickling against his ear, "Be good."

Rhys gave him a wry smile, "You expect me to start that now?"

Vaughn smirked back and said, "Try, maybe? When I wake up, I'll come find you... and we'll talk, alright?"

Rhys nodded, with a smile that he hoped would reassure the other, "Okay... Love you."

"I love you, too, Bro." Vaughn said as patted Rhys' shoulder a final time and headed out of the room.

Fiona waited a while and gave Rhys a chance to get some food into him before saying, "Vaughn's sure done an amazing job here. Not gonna lie, when I met you both, I highly expected you both to be dead before the day was out. I'm... surprised he's alive much less able to keep all of this together."

Rhys finished swallowing a bite, "Your faith is inspirational."

"I'm trying to compliment your boyfriend, dummy. The more I see you together now. The better I think he is for you."

"Maybe... I just wish I didn't feel like such a burden to him. He's got all of this, I don't want him to worry about me."

"I think you're thinking about it the wrong way."

"Yeah?"

"Well... like ... when he thought you were dead how do you think he felt, right? There's a you to worry about. You're practically back from the dead. Plus, you just got here, really... of course there's going to be adjustment." She smiled softly, "So even if I grant you that you're a burden... you're also a... bolster."

He listened to her as he finished eating. "So you're saying the ledger balances... and hopefully I am, at least, a net zero?"

"Sure... and ... the least you can do is give him a break. Let him worry about you. Be glad he gives a fuck."

Rhys smiled back at her, "You're probably right... ok... I think I'm done here, let's go make sweet love to the network."

"You make it sound so gross," Fiona snickered, "But, ok."

 


	11. Tearing Things Down and Building Them Up Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys enjoys a day of good old fashioned day of work before Vaughn again takes ownership.

The day improved as soon as Rhys started working at one of the computer terminals up by the central command center. It took him a good deal of cursing and warring with the system before he was finally able to make a connection with his files back at Atlas.

That done, he focused on Atlas business and pulling up any known information on the Vault of the Traveler. There were certainly Hyperion files he planned to ravage later. Most tantalizing was research and development. Why not steal Hyperion's ideas. Hyperion was as good as dead. There was also upper-management classified servers and Handsome Jack's own files to bend beneath his digital will.

Rhys decided would absolutely have his way with them, but later. Self awareness of the precariousness of his mental state had finally made itself entirely clear. There was too much potential for mental fallout he was not prepared to deal with at the present.

It was thrilling to be able to work. Idle hands were the devils playthings and doing actual, familiar work felt more right then almost anything had since he came chose to come to this planet. He sent files to the workstation where Fiona was settled to keep her busy as well.

They talked periodically, each one making every effort of courtesy towards the other after the excruciatingly uncomfortable breakfast exchange. Fiona even brought him lunch so he could keep working.

"So is this what you did all day?" Fiona asked towards the end of their workday, "Sat on your ass. Typing away like a big important business man?"

Rhys turned his chair to face hers. "Not all day. I was an... admittedly mid-level manager, but I had directly reporting employees and... so many meetings... and SOP manuals related to processes in my department."

"You... actually managed people. Live human beings... well live Hyperions," the con woman sounded incredulous.

"Ha ha." He said, in monotone. "Just because you can't take me seriously doesn't mean I can't be. If I could fire you, or have you vented into space, you'd be on board with wanting to impress me."

Fiona grinned wickedly, "That might be the only time I'd be concerned with doing so."

"Fortunately, at the new, improved Atlas... we, and by that I mean I, don't believe in murdering employees. So if you and Sasha ever want to give up your life of crime to come and work with me, that won't be an issue."

Fiona clasped her hands together, "How sweet, you're offering me a job... but no offense... I'd rather scoop out my own eyeball with a spoon-fork. Just promise me if this all works out and you... get the kind of power other people have had over Pandora... that you'll do something good for this place."

"I'm not going to be Hand... Jack. I'm not going to be like Jack." Rhys closed his eyes briefly briefly and said with genuine resolve, "This planet could be something. The bio domes at Atlas prove that. There could be terraforming. Life could be better here."

She looked well satisfied at that answer and gave a firm nod of her head, "Good. I'm going to hold you to that."

"Deal." He smiled back , before turning back to his station, "What about you and Sasha. Going to take off if we strike it rich in this vault business?"

"Yeah... I don't know. I figured we would figure that out once we survive. If we're dead, then we won't have wasted all that time making complicated decisions about where we want to live, you know?"

Rhys agreed with a nod as he resumed poking through the files, "Seems sound. I have to assume that we will... and work accordingly."

"Hopefully, but the things I'm seeing in these files aren't filling me with confidence," Fiona noted before returning to her browsing.

Yvette eventually appeared to tell Rhys that Vaughn was looking for him. He stayed a while longer to chat with her about their progress before bidding both women farewell for the moment.

When he returned to the room, he found one of the chairs pushed in front of the crate with the basin and Vaughn bustling around the room. He declared, as though it were not obvious, "I'm home. Did you miss me?"

"Hey!" Vaughn moved over from what he was doing and wrapped Rhys up in a hug and they kissed sweetly. "How was work?" The bandit was stripped from the waist up, which was honestly how Rhys preferred him.

"Good... Really good... I was able to crack into Atlas from here.... I pulled a bunch of Gortys Project files. It's going to take us days to sift through them all. Yvette and Fiona were looking at them when I left."

Vaughn beamed, "Excellent. That is way more preferable then going in blind on this." He reached up and tried to slide Rhys' jacket off. "Yvette sent by the Razor. How would you like me to give you a nice shave?"

"I could do it my..." He paused, thinking back to what Fiona said earlier, "That actually sounds fantastic." He let Vaughn remove the jacket and hang it carefully over the edge of the screen. Rhys decided it would be best to take off the waistcoat and shirt as well and worked at stripping down to his black tank top undershirt. As he was doing so he glanced over to the bed, noting a long, slender black object resting atop the made bed. He decided not to question it and went to put away the other articles of clothing.

"Alright have a seat," Vaughn said as he dipped the edge of a cloth into the basin and started working at creating some lather with a bar of soap.

Rhys sat down and tilted his head back. "You'll be glad to know that Fiona and I didn't fight once the whole day. She was a prefect coworker."

Vaughn turned back to him and started using the soapy towel to lather up Rhys' neck and face, saying with a hint of sarcasm, "Miracles never cease. I don't want to get soap in your mouth, so you probably want to keep it closed for a bit."

"Okay," Rhys agreed before pressing his lips together.

Barber Vaughn rinsed and dried his hands before wetting the razor and leaning into start shaving away all that stubble. Rhys let himself enjoy it, closing his eyes and relaxing as his lover ever so carefully removed the growth of beard. "We're going to have food brought in tonight," He said as he worked, "And just spend a nice, long... sleep cycle together."

Rhys made a soft "Mmm hmmmm," sound to show that he approved of the concept entirely.

When he was finished, Vaughn wiped away all the excess soap, rinsed Rhys' face, and dried it with a final towel. "There we are, how does that feel?"

Rhys reached up and stroked the skin of his neck before caressing his chin and upper lip. "Smooth. Thanks. Fiona said, after you left, that I should be grateful to have you and... let you take care of me... and worry about me."

Vaughn worked at cleaning up and putting everything away. "Smart lady... I knew I liked her for a reason."

Rhys rose and moved the chair back to its original position in the room, "Yeah... she knows how to push my buttons like no one else, but... she cares, at least. She thinks pretty highly of you and everything you've put together here."

"Awww," Vaughn looked over with a self-satisfied grin, "She said that?"

"Yup."

"I'm flattered," he replied before finishing up his tidying.

Rhys moved over to the bed and picked up the object up off of it, unable to hold off from satisfying his curiosity. It was about a foot and a half in length and was made out of some sort of rubber type material. It was less than an inch in diameter. He swung it like a fencing foil and it made a satisfying SWOOSH as it cut the air.

Vaughn wandered back over to him and said, "That's for you."

Rhys' brow furrowed in confusion, "For wha... Oh." Color rose to his cheeks as he set it carefully down on the nightstand. "So when you said we were going to talk..."

Vaughn cut him off, "I meant we were going to talk... but also... that I was disappointed enough by this morning to decide that you have earned a motivational discussion about not throwing temper tantrums... or fruit."

Rhys' now smooth cheeks blushed prettily and he ducked his head, "Damn. Well, I guess was out of line." He squinted his eyes and worried his lip with his teeth.

Vaughn took him by hand and urged him to sit on the edge of the bed with him, "You were. Not about being angry... I was bothered by that too, but throwing things was uncalled for."

"Yeah." He reached his free hand up to rub the back of his neck, sheepishly. Vaughn released his hand and put an arm around his waist.

"I'm not going to stop sleeping so I can guard your every moment," Vaughn said, "That was a mistake... but I was worried. I thought about it today, before I went back to sleep. If you say that it doesn't happen often I'm going to believe you. If it happens again, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Rhys said quietly, "Okay... I don't like feeling like I am a burden to you... but Fiona said... you'd rather have a me to worry about then the alternative."

"She's right again. But you're _not_ a burden." The former accountant's voice was firm. "You're the only thing in my life I've ever wanted this much. Not that you're a thing, but you know what I mean. It's easier to do the things I have to do now knowing I get to come back and have you beside me. Being alone... not having you around even as just my friend. That was burdensome. We've never been apart that long since I've known you."

"I know... I kind of... after mourning you... sort of sealed my emotions off." He leaned his head against Vaughn's, "Tried to push them down and kill them... and threw myself into work. So all of this is like over load... and probably why I'm having so much trouble. But I really think... that I'll be okay. In the long run. Working again, is going to help."

"You will. You don't give up." He leaned in to kiss Rhys' long, slender neck over the tattooed marks.

Rhys made a soft hum of pleasure. "So, uh... what even is that thing..." he looked over to the nightstand.

Vaughn sucked on his neck a little, lightly, before pulling his lips away, "I think its an antenna. I want to try a little experiment."

"Experiment?" Rhys raised one brow with a distinctly suspicious look.

"Well... I've never been whipped." Vaughn sat back to explain, "I've gotten the odd slap on the ass during sex like any other guy, but nothing like what I did to you. I think it behooves me to experience what it feels like."

"You want me, to... hit you?" Rhys looked entirely amused.

"It's either you do or I ask Yvette and that's going to be weird."

Rhys laughed lightly, "As much as I'd love to see her reaction to that conversation. I can do it. I've never done that side so... we'll see how it goes... but I can see your point."

"I Just don't want to hurt you. I mean _obviously_ I'm _going_ to hurt you... but I don't want to take it too far." He reached out to fix an errant piece of Rhys' hair.

"You're sure?" Rhys narrowed his eyes and looked into his partners for certainty.

Vaughn said, "Yeah, but we don't have to rush into anything... we can take our time... do whatever you want."

Rhys smiled faintly, "It doesn't always have to be about what I want."

"No," Vaughn agreed, "But pleasing you pleases me. I don't think me telling you what I want is really going to be a problem going forward."

"Good... then... maybe let's experiment. Because... now I'm nervous as hell and if I'm going to get it I'd rather get that out of the way."

Vaughn grinned, wolfishly, "Good... then give me your belt... and go fetch the hairbrush."

Rhys rose and stripped off his belt, setting it on the nightstand next to the antenna. "Are _you_ nervous _?"_

"Not particularly." He shook his head, "I don't like pain but I've found I can take a great deal more of it then I ever thought possible before. Vallory beat the shit out of me after I failed to choke her out... and I got clawed in the in the back by a rakk once... and don't even get me started on the goddamned spider ants. They keep popping up around the edges of the camp. Pandora is an endless generator of pain."

Rhys set the hairbrush down as well and said, "So true."

"Okay... you sit there, on the edge of the bed," Vaughn instructed as he rose.

Rhys sat obligingly, observing as Vaughn stripped out of his pants, "The people here really need some clothing. Maybe I'll bring LB back to Atlas and see if we can't move the Quick Change station back here."

"That sounds amazing. I'm sure he'd be willing to help... If we can get Gortys free." He climbed across Rhys's legs and settled there, arms and legs stretched out in either direction supported by the bed.

Rhys rubbed his back lightly with the metal hand before reaching out to grab the brush, "Brush first?"

"Sure, why not," He replied as though this were the most casual thing in the world.

"Your ass is super hot, man," Rhys became slightly distracted with admiring it.

"Focus, Rhys... but thank you."

"Alright... for science," He chuckled. He held down Vaughn's shoulders with the robotic hand and tapped the wooden brush his pale ass. He made an attempt to smacking Vaughn with the flat back of the oval brush, but it was pretty weak. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous."

"It's totally fine. Just... do it harder or this is kind of pointless. I'm not going to have you hit me very many times... maybe... five with each item, alright?"

Rhys said and steeled his nerves, "Okay... here we go." He raised up the brush and brought it down with a satisfying slap of wood on flesh.

Vaughn breathed in deeply, but otherwise did not give that much of a reaction, "Good... good Ok. Keep it coming."

Rhys found it easier to complete the set of five. He raised and cracked the brush down leaving reddened oval marks four more times. Vaughn was pretty stoic throughout it all, though Rhys thought to himself that its easy to be self controlled in the beginning. He set the brush aside on the bed. "How was that?"

"Good." Vaughn glanced back at him over his shoulder. "Let's give the belt a shot... just make sure to hold the buckle in your hand... and try to be careful with the far end, you don't want it to wrap too far around the side of my leg."

Rhys said, "Sure," He reached out and took the belt in his flesh hand, folding his fingers over the buckle after doubling it over.

Vaughn rubbed his palms together in front of himself on the bed and waited, quietly.

"Round two," Rhys said and tried to do his best to visualize where the blow was going to fall. He raised his arm back and whipped the flat leather across his lover's ass. He was pleasantly surprised to find his aim with this was much better then it had been with the fruit this morning and a thick red line soon appeared in the flesh.

Vaughn's toes curled and he made a breathy grunt.

"Sure you want five?"

Vaughn forced a chuckle, "Not really, but I'm doing this for you so... carry on."

Rhys obliged, aiming a little lower this time but putting about the same amount of force into the lick. It occurred to him that being the pain dealer probably was not his thing, but he did get a great deal gratification from the thought that his lover cared enough to do this.

Vaughn cleared his throat, his shoulders tensing a bit, "Okay... again." He hissed loudly when the leather again met flesh with a forceful snap. "I almost feel sorry for you," He joked.

Rhys retaliated at that by whipping him again.

"Damn!" Vaughn gasped and breathed for a spell, "Alright... do the last one."

Rhys snapped the belt down a final time, higher up on the fleshiest part of his ass. Vaughn's back arched and he groaned before grinding his hips down against Rhys'. Rhys teased, "Is that enough data on that?" He took to rubbing the injured mounds of flesh with his palm once he set the leather down.

Vaughn breathed a bit before replying, "Yeah... Plenty."

"You sure you want to try the antenna?"

"Yes. I'm not going to use it on you until I know what its like..."

"Well...." Rhys said with a bit of a pout, "You don't _have_ to use it."

"Don't have to. Probably going to," came the reply.

Rhys made a harrumphing sound before picking up the implement. "Alright... are you ready?"

Vaughn gripped the bedding with his fingers pre-emptively and said, "As a person ever could be."

Rhys found himself impressed as his ability to lay there and take the pain, though he wondered if it would hold out to this black monstrosity. He took a deep breath himself and pulled his arm back before bringing it forward with a woosh and a crack on the reddened skin.

Vaughn gritted his teeth and moaned. "OOh, you're not going to like that." Even through pain he sounded mildly taunting. "Keep going." He sounded eager for the experiment to be over.

Rhys made an effort to space the marks out so they did not crisscross over each other. There was no helping crossing the belt marks. Vaughn gave clear reaction to the blows, even pounding the bed with one fist by the last blow and cursing loudly, "Fuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhck." He put a hand into his mouth to bite down on a knuckle.

"I'm sorry," Rhys said, even though none of this was his idea, and even though he was sure to be in the same position soon. He dropped the antenna and resumed rubbing Vaughn's poor sore rump.

Vaughn took a few deep breaths and moaned softly. "Don't worry about it. That was... educational."

"Can I help you up?" Rhys offered.

"No, I'm good." Vaughn pushed up off of the bed and kneeled at Rhys' side, reaching back to rub at the welts. His face was flushed but there were no tears.

Rhys snatched him up in his arms and hugged him tightly.

Vaughn hugged him back and pressed a kiss to his temple port and then to his lips before pulling back. "You did good." Using a hand on his companion's shoulder to steady himself, he climbed off of the bed and went to put his lower clothing back on.

"Thanks..." Rhys bit his lip, his chest feeling suddenly a bit tight.

Vaughn asked, "So... beyond... power exchange, the interest in ropes, and the things that I understand better, what do you get out of this? And is it just this or ... do you like to be otherwise hit... face slapped, punched, et cetera?" When he was finished pulling his pants on he sat down, carefully at first, next to Rhys again, doing his best to look like he was not in some pain.

Rhys' cheeks reddened again, "No, no Punching. Slapping... eeeeeehhhhhh, on occasion?" He shrugged, "I don't really know why I'm like this. I think I just am? There's the endorphins... and you kinda go into this headspace that's... kind of amazing. It's not just that though. It's... humiliation... a little. There's also a part that isn't even sexual... but I'm not sure I can even really explain that."

Vaughn was watching his face intently as he talked, which only made him more flustered. The other man seemed like he was taking mental notes of everything said. "If people could pick their interests, I'm sure there wouldn't be so many absolute sexual freaks. I had guys on Helios that were into way stranger things then you."

"You never really spoke much about your boyfriends." Rhys was not really sure he even wanted to hear, but it felt important to ask. It's not that he never asked Vaughn how his dates went, but Vaughn was generally very sparing with his details.

"I never really liked any of them well enough to get to the stage where I'd call them boyfriends. So many smug assholes. I'd call them more... strategic sex associates. Plus, unlike you, I am a gentleman."

Rhys grinned, "Were you always on top, power nerd?"

Vaughn shook his head, "Not always. I'm perfectly happy either way... so if you ever wanted to switch things up, I'm game."

Rhys grinned, "I might. Some time." He was still blushing as he looked Vaughn in the eye, "So ... I uhm... guess its my turn?"

Vaughn looked positively wicked as he beamed a smile in return, "Yes. It is." He reached across Rhys to grab the far, robotic arm and yank Rhys across his lap.

Rhys made a squeak of surprised as he was manhandled.

Vaughn scooted back a bit to make it so Rhys was supported by the bed as he had been, no limbs dangling everywhere this time. He put a hand on the small of his back and gave a squeeze to Rhys' ass through the black and stripped dress slacks. "Remind me why you're in this undignified position, my boy."

Rhys folded his arms in front of his head and rested his face against them, saying, "Because I threw fruit at Fiona."

"Correct." He flattened his palm and slapped Rhys on the striped side of his pants. It didn't hurt as much through the two layers of clothing. He alternated that with a slap to the other side.

"My hand hurt most of last cycle from spanking you," Vaughn said as he reached underneath to unfasten Rhys' button and fly before starting to work the fabric down from his hips and then his long legs, leaving them bunched at his ankles. He left the silky, black undershorts in place for the time being.

"Terribly unfortunate," Rhys grumbled quietly as he moved cooperatively to help Vaughn slide down his slacks.

He was struck again twice in rapid succession for his insolence. The pain was much sharper.

"I see that your first instinct in a bad situation is still to make things worse for yourself." Vaughn swatted again.

"Ow! Old habits die hard," Rhys replied and Vaughn opted to quiet his sass with an unexpectedly fierce barrage of blows to the seat of his shorts.

Rhys pressed his lips together tightly. It was kind of pleasant like this. He could feel his erection tight against the rich fabric and rubbed himself a bit lewdly against the lap below him.

Vaughn made no comment on that, but soon his hands were in the waistband of the black shorts. They got tugged a little more roughly down and pulled to the tops of his thighs and soon skin was smacking skin.

Rhys was unable to avoid squirming, but Vaughn's hand was on the small of his back to pin him in place. His sense of time started to dissapear as the minutes stretched on with Vaughn applying slow but steady heat and redness to his skin one blow at a time.

There was a pause then as Vaughn had grabbed the hairbrush. There would be no break this time. He used the brush to painful effect with two stout swats to each exposed cheek.

Rhys pushed his face into the bedding to muffle the moans, willing himself to be as still as he could.

Vaughn rubbed the flat surface over the injured skin for a good half minute before administering another set of four blows on the reddening skin.

He carried on that way, leaving moments of rest for Rhys to regain some composure before laying on with four burning blows in a swift succession for three more sets. Rhys gritted his teeth and shut his eyes, as though any amount of steeling himself could ease the explosiveness of the pain. His breathing grew ragged and he kicked his dress pants free as he struggled.

Vaughn set the brush down so he could rub his palm up and down the hot, red-marked skin.

Rhys whimpered into the bedding.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself," his short but powerful master enquired with a voice so imperious it made Rhys shiver.

Rhys unclenched his jaw and lifted his head up to speak. A frantic flood of whimpered words spilled free, "I'm so sorry, Sir, please forgive me. It won't ever happen ever again I swear. I'll be good. I'll be good!"

"Good boy," his tormentor crooned, "I forgive you." The belt buckle jingled.

Rhys whimpered and crossed his ankles.

"Keep your ass up. You know we're not done," Vaughn commanded as he roughly repositioned his captive partner slightly.

Rhys shuddered in anticipation, eyes still closed tightly. When the leather licked his flesh the first time he thought he could see stars for a moment. His hips bucked hard into Vaughn's lap and he let out a quavering cry. Tears sprang to his eyes that were not able to be held in by the closed lids.

The belt whipped across his skin, again, like a fire brand. His teeth were clenched against the pain and he made a valiant fight not to cry out this time. For the next three strokes, he managed to grunt instead of cry out. By the next, his resolve shattered and he howled out his pain before burying his face in the bedding again, heaving out a sob. Vaughn paused a moment before giving him two good stripes across the backs of his thighs in quick succession.

Vaughn gripped the back of Rhys' neck with one hand while the other carefully eased up his shorts, "I think that do. We'll save the antenna for more _serious_ transgressions."

Rhys pushed his neck up into the touch, like a dog eager to be reassured after being kicked. Vaughn responded by soothing his hand down to his taut shoulder. Powerful hands urged him up into a kneeling position. He sat back on his haunches even though it made waves of pain course through his abraded nerves. He wanted to hide is face again, ashamed by the open display of weakness in his wet, sobbing face.

Vaughn rose from the bed and put a hand on either side of Rhys' face; tilting it gently up to look him in the eye in a way that left Rhys feeling more vulnerable and exposed then he could remember experiencing. Before it grew unbearable, the shorter man leaned in close and pulled him against his chest.

Rhys clung to him like a strangling vine, crying fitfully. Vaughn held him close, petting his hair and back gently while whispering quiet reassurances. It took him several minuts to calm down to a fretful whimper.

Vaughn left him kneeling as he was on the bed and returned quickly with a moistened towel and returned to carefully wipe Rhys' face down again, before wiping the snot off of his own chest. "Lay down," He urged. Rhys stretched out carefully and laid on his stomach.

Vaughn stood over him making a soft tsk tsk tsk sound, setting the towel aside, "Not like that... on your back."

Rhys complied without question, but not without a grimace, a low whine and the saddest puppy eyes. His true eye was blood shot while his echo eye glowed softly. He struggled to breathe evenly.

Vaughn climbed onto the bed and pushed those long, sexy legs apart to crawl beneath them. He hunched down and started to rub his mouth over Rhys mostly flaccid cock through the silk shorts. He lifted his head and looked up, "I wish you could see yourself... you look good enough to eat."

Rhys' erection returned quickly and Vaughn none to gently pulled the shorts down again, looking thrilled by the utterance of pain that came from his lover. He bent down again and wrapped his fingers around the organ to guide it into his mouth.

The lanky cyborg's back arched and he writhed at the exquisite juxtaposition of pain and pleasure. Vaughn always was so good at this. His head pressed hard against the mattress, ruining anything that was left of style in his red-tinged, brown locks. He cried out Vaughn's name lustily and then made a number of entreaties to a god he didn't believe in.

Vaughn abruptly sat back to rip the shorts the rest of the way off before unfastening his own pants and shimming free of them. He stopped to take the lube tube out of his pocket before letting them fall over the side of the bed.

Rhys looked up at him, biting his lower lip gorgeously in anticipation. Vaughn stroked his own cock to cover it in lube before grabbing Rhys legs and pulling him closer to his hips. Now that Rhys was better positioned he worked a couple of fingers into him, a bit rougher then he had up to this point.

Rhys' eyes rolled back into his head when a finger curled up to brush his prostate gland. He was so erect it was painful. Everything was painful. Everything was wonderful. Vaughn withdrew the fingers and guided his thick cock into his lover in its place. He grabbed Rhys under his knees and pushed his legs back and up. "Hold your legs," He ordered.

Rhys complied, hooking his hands under his legs beneath his knee to hold them up. Vaughn took the opportunity to pour some more lube onto his hand. He wrapped one hand tightly around Rhys' erection and started stroking it slowly before moving his hips to bury himself deeper in his lover.

Rhys' cried out, loudly, lost in a tangle of sensations and emotions. Vaughn was devouring him with his eyes; his hands and his cock were owning him so entirely that for a blissful moment felt like he lost all sense of self. Speech, too, seemed lost to him and he was reduced only to the basest animal moans. He couldn't even warn his lover how close he was to climax when driven over the edge. As he came against his own stomach and the front of his undershirt, Vaughn used his free hand to give one last, cruel slap to his battered ass. He sobbed, if it was from pain or pleasure it did not matter.

Vaughn grabbed Rhys' ridiculously long legs so he could lay back comfortably now that he was spent. It did not take much longer for Vaughn to come as well. A throaty groan of pleasure erupted from his lips as he looked down at Rhys' pillaged body. After regaining his senses he pulled himself free and grabbed the towel from earlier to hastily wipe them both down. He also stripped Rhys of his ejaculate stained tank top. Both were cast over the side of the bed with everything else. Stretching out at Rhys' side, he reached back to grab the far end of the blanket and pull it over them like a cocoon. Vaughn held Rhys close until his sobs gradually ebbed away into slow breathing.

Rhys didn't expect Vaughn's voice to be so tremulous when he finally spoke, belying the commanding presence he had been up so far, "Was that ... good, baby?"

Rhys' voice was not that much steadier, "Yes... god... yes."

Vaughn kissed him and nuzzled close and they lay there quietly together.

>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made some small edits. I forgot Rhys never took off that tank top. Hah. I really need an editor... too ashamed to ask my roommates, who all know I'm a freak, and are fairly freaky themselves, to do so for me.


	12. The Past. The Present. The Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys gives into being fussed over.

Rhys was jolted awake by an ice cold panic that caused his heart to beat riotously in his chest. The light seemed too bright, so he immediately scanned the room with his echo eye in a fearful hope that he could grasp some shred of information that would let him know if source of this terror was real or illusory. His voice did not sound like his own as he shouted, desperately, "I'm armed!"

He was not armed. Instead, he was naked, save for his black and white patterned socks and laying on his stomach in a damp patch of his own drool. A blanket was tucked around him purposefully. The scan informed him that the only other person in the room was Vaughn, who was seated at the desk. His mind and body would not be easily swayed by anything so simple as reality.

" _What_?" the bearded bandit turned to look at him with his eyes opened wide.

Rhys did not respond, beyond flinging his arms in front of his face to hold his head protectively and curl up himself into a ball of misery.

Vaughn was standing by the edge of the bed nigh immediately, but he did not touch him. "Rhys, talk to me."

Rhys' response came in a pained lament, "Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT."

"Can... I do something? Should I touch you or not touch you?" Vaughn asked the questions rapid fire, hovering uneasily by.

Rhys slowly and carefully let go of his head and looked up at Vaughn with haunted eyes, "Please."

Vaughn lay down on his side close by and slipped an arm around him so that they were face to face. "Breathe... remember to breathe," He urged softly. "You're safe with me, it was just another bad dream."

Rhys worked at calming himself by focusing on the timbre of Vaughn's comforting, familiar voice and looking into those clear, bright eyes. "I just...." he panted out a breath, "I forgot." He knew his fingers were too tightly clasping at Vaughn's back, but the other man gave no sign of discomfort.

"Forgot what?" Vaughn asked somberly.

"Everything," he whispered back.

"Everything's still here, Rhys. I promise."

"I Thought... maybe I was still there... at Atlas, alone." His eyes closed to block out some of the excessive stimuli.

"You're not," Vaughn moved his arm from around Rhys' waist to brush his fingers across his jawline.

"I know... now. I used to wake up... afraid a lot there. It was... beautiful but... when you're alone that long your mind starts... playing tricks. Felt like someone was lurking. I would lock myself down in a room at night."

"I can't imagine that. It had to be awful... never feeling Safe."

Rhys breathing was working its way down towards a semblance of normal and his heart slowed its fevered beating. "Yeah... but the worst part was thinking about how I'd lost you. Wondering what we could have had... thinking about how much I failed you. I'm sorry, Vaughn."

Vaughn's expression lingered somewhere between consternation and pity, "I don't... you don't have to be sorry. We have this miraculous opportunity here... to try again. From now on, unless you're really feeling insecure and need to talk about it, I don't want to hear you saying you're not worthy of me... or that you failed me. Okay? Not in that casually negative way that just feeds into an endless loop of feeling awful."

Rhys looked as though he were giving it great thought, "I can do that... Or at least try." Pausing, he tilted his head back to smell the air, now that he could focus on any thing other then fear. "Do I smell food?"

"Yeah. Roast skag... I was going to wake you to eat soon." He released Rhys and pulled back to sit up. "I got us new water and dumped out the basin... got fresh towels... and had dinner brought in. Do you want to eat?"

"I do... I'm starved..." Rhys' stomach rumbled to back up his claim. The thought of eating pulled his mind further towards the present and away from darker memories.

Vaughn stood and held out a hand to help Rhys up, "Alright, cool."

Rhys groaned in general discomfort as he took the offered help without question and got to his feet. "I'm going to... wash up... clothes." He walked stiff-legged to the basin, cursing under his breath all the way. He wet a towel with a pitcher before ringing it out over the basin and going behind the screen to wash up. Vaughn had already gathered up his clothing and set everything on the screen, save his undershirt.

Vaughn gave a half chuckle as he watched him disappear, and crowed with all due smugness, "I messed you up _pretty_ good."

"You have _no_ idea..." Rhys retorted with a voice like a saint who was in the process of being martyred.

"I have _some_ idea." There was a faint metallic clinking and shuffling about of things out at the desk area.

"Not nearly enough." Rhys opted just to put on his button up shirt and his undershorts. Coming back around the screen, he washed his hands well and moved over to join Vaughn, who had thoughtfully placed a pillow on one of the chairs and pushed it up close to the desk.

The desk was cleared to make room for their meal. Upon it were mugs of some purplish liquid and two plates. Each plate held a lump of skag meat cooked in onions and something that vaguely resembled a vegetable.

Vaughn noted as he approached, "If you want to stand, It's fine."

"Nah." Rhys said before gingerly easing himself down onto the chair, "Ah... Ah. Ahhh.. oww..." His face contorted and his face grew rosy. "Give me a minute." His mismatched eyes closed a few moments before he opened them and declared, "I'm good." Vaughn was given a big smile though there was more grimace in it then he realized.

Vaughn watched his face, grinning devilishly as he also blushed above the growth of beard, "I can't lie... that half turns me on... and half makes me feel like a terrible person."

Rhys gave a rueful grin, "Bet it doesn't make you feel bad enough to not do it again... You know I never imagined there would come a day when I would look forward to eating skag... but this smells pretty good."

Vaughn said, "You can't cook to save your life... what did you eat all that time? Fruit? I mean you weren't ... hunting and butchering anything, right?"

"No, heh. Both facilities had a good store of packaged goods... mostly canned skag meat. Atlas brand, of course. I was able to do research as to what plants were edible. It wasn't a thrilling diet but... I didn't starve." He cut a piece of the meat and sniffed it before sticking it into his mouth to chew. After swallowing he said, "Pretty good... But I'd sell my soul for some ice cream."

Vaughn ate a bite as well before replying, "I miss Pizza. Remember that place by our first apartment on Helios? I might, literally kill a man for a slice." He looked up and off into the distance, wistfully.

Rhys nodded, amused to think upon something that hadn't crossed his mind in a long time. "Yes! And they would deliver it and beer at any hour of the day."

"Which was terrible beer..." Vaughn opined.

"But convenient! We practically lived off of that place our first year."

Vaughn grinned, "Yeah. That was also the year Death Fortress 3 came out. I went to work so tired so many times that year it's a wonder I didn't get fired."

Rhys brightened further at the memory, "Yes! yes! Oh hell, don't even remind me how much I miss video games.. and remember... we watched every terrible chick movie in existence because the only way we could convince Yvette to play with us was to let her pick the movies."

"She liked the game... what she hated was that you always took the Sorceress and made her play the Paladin."

Rhys smirked, "Oh yeah. She did not like being the tank. And you were the thief."

"it's weird you know, how things like that seem... like another life." Vaughn took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, "That reminds me..." He pushed the mug towards him, "Drink this."

Rhys raised his brows curiously and raised the mug to his lips to take a swallow. It was thick, sweet and made a very pleasant burn on its way down his throat. "Damn... _Vaughn_." He looked up at him with a lazy, blissful look, "Is this alcohol... made from drakefruit?"

"You bet your sweet ass it is." Vaughn seemed immensely pleased by that response. "One of the children, Greg, started making it a while ago. I'll introduce you to him. Sweet guy. He sent us a bottle with his regards to the great liberator." Vaughn raised his mug and Rhys obliged him by clinking his together.

They both drank a big draught and when he swallowed Rhys said, "At least I don't have to miss alcohol." He took another bite of his meal. After swallowing, he said, "They had a bunch of bottles of really good Champaign from Eden Prime the second Atlas facility. Top notch stuff. Probably for all the celebrating they were murdered before they could get around to..."

Vaughn swallowed and said sardonically, "Oh I'm sure that was good for you."

Rhys swallowed another bite and washed it down with more of the liquor before replying, "No... well... I drank it all straight off in the first couple weeks. It was a low point."

Vaughn cautioned, "Well... we're not getting shit faced... because I'm not all that sure giving you alcohol is the best idea, but I like spoiling you... and you're cute when you're tipsy."

"So are you. This is really nice. Thank you. It's good just... being with you. Sorry I keep flipping out."

"Nah, Come on, don't apologize. It's all just... part of it. Right? I was not always this paragon of togetherness you see before you... I spent so many hours just sobbing on Yvette... it was ugly... Just... snot all over her constantly."

Rhys looked at him with all sincere compassion, "I am glad you guys had each other."

"I had to _try_ to look like someone who knew what he hell they were doing so much that it was great to have someone to fall apart with. You didn't have that."

"Didn't stop me from crying... a lot." He admitted. "I kind of started talking to you... after a while. Like I thought maybe... there was some kind of after life and maybe you could hear it... I didn't ... i wasn't crazy enough to really think you were there... but... It just... sucked that there was all this stuff to say that I didn't say. By the time I left I knew I was going to really lose it if I stayed alone much longer."

"You're a social a person... you thrive on attention," Vaughn topped off both of their glasses.

"More then I like to admit," He nodded and then smiled broadly, "But yours is my favorite."

Vaughn said, "I feel the same, of course." Vaughn polished off the food on his plate before pushing it away from him. He picked up his mug and took a swallow.

Rhys felt the alcohol relaxing him. It numbed both the physical hurts, which he did not really mind, as well as the wounds of the mind. He moved to stack his plate upon Vaughn's when he was finished and took another drink from his mug. "I can't get over how much I like your hair... and that beard."

Vaughn smiled coyly, "It was mostly out of practicality."

"You should let your hair down. Gives you like a ... sexy barbarian sort of vibe."

Vaughn set his mug down and reached his hands back to untie his dark locks. "Better?" His hair was a little pass shoulder length now. It was thick and lustrous. Rhys leaned his robotic arm on the table and used it to prop his face up so he could watch Vaughn's face. Rhys looked nearly giddy, "It's sooooo good. I want to touch it."

"I like your style these days, too," Vaughn complimented in turn, and took a final sip from his mug. He slunk out of his chair and onto his knees between the other man's legs. His bearded face came to rest on the inner part of Rhys' thigh.

Rhys reached his flesh hand down and threaded his fingers through Vaughn's hair several times before scratching at his scalp lightly, "If I'm forbidden from saying I'm not worthy of you... then maybe I'll switch to how lucky I am that you so amazing."

Vaughn smiled up at him, clearly enjoying affection, like a contented cat being scratched just as it pleases. "I can accept that." He rubbed a hand slowly up and down Rhys' long, bare leg.

"I love you Vaughn. So much. Together we're unstoppable. We're going to kick this vault monster's ass... we're going to fix this messed up planet... and we're going to make a bad ass, but still socially responsible business empire."

Vaughn said in a low tone, "Now _there's_ my Rhys. You're always so handsome when declaring your ambition. I would have followed you anywhere."

Rhys smiled lopsidedly, "And you did. Too bad I was enamored with the most evil corporation in the galaxy."

"Could have been worse. We could have picked Atlas and we'd have experienced the excitement of a fast paced work environment while eventually being assassinated by Athena. Plus, I recall us both agreeing that Hyperion was our top pick."

Rhys chuckled and just left his hand resting on top of Vaughn's head, "When you say it like that... It's kind of like we've been married since college and I'm only just noticing it."

"About time, dork," Vaughn said as he planted his hands on Rhys knees and returned to his feet. He reached up a hand to brush his long hair out of his face and pin it back behind his ears. "And by the way is that a proposal?" his voice was playful.

Rhys' eyes widened dramatically and his mouth gaped open, but no words came out. Vaughn tilted his head back and gave a sharp bark of laughter. "I'm messing with you!"

Rhys laughed nervously, "I'm not afraid of commitment. I mean I am... Or I was."

Vaughn tried to reassure him, "I'm totally messing with you. Come and lay on the bed, I can give you a back rub." He held out a hand.

Rhys took the offered help again and rose from his chair. Being so pampered might be something he could learn to get used to. "Sounds nice." He drained his mug of liquid and set it aside before unbuttoning his shirt again. It was draped on the chair for the moment. "And as far as marriage goes... I'm honestly... completely open to it, but I'm keeping my name. In fact. It's probably the smartest option, from a legal point of view... considering I do actually have assets now... combined with the extremely violent nature of our present home." He stretched out on the bed on his stomach. "I would want you to get all my stuff."

Vaughn climbed in on the opposite side and sat next to him, rubbing his hands together to warm them. "If you wanted to make it legal, I'm for it, but _no pressure_. We've been officially together less than one Pandoran day and I am not nearly in that much of a rush... and maybe you shouldn't be either."

Rhys threw a glance over his shoulder and said mockingly, "Now who has fear of commitment."

Vaughn started working his fingers into the muscles around Rhys' neck with firm pressure to relax the tightly coiled fibers. "Shut up. I'd keep my name too. The name thing always seemed wierd to me."

Rhys laid his head on his fleshy forearm and held his thumb up with the other hand to signal his approval. "Then its settled."

Vaughn's adroit fingers applied pressure that was painful, though it was necessary to help work out the tension held there deep under the skin. He worked in silence for a few minutes working his way to the shoulder that didn't contain cybernetics. "So... I'm just going to point out that you are not nearly drunk enough to get away with your traditional brand of selective asshole amnesia." Though he delivered the line as a joke, even tipsy Rhys could sense the sore spot lurking under the surface and the wariness that came with it.

Rhys propped an elbow up on the bed and turned to face him. Vaughn shifted and sat with his legs crossed on the bed looking down at him, uncertainly.

"I'm not drunk. And I do mean it. We're over the precipice here, Vaughn. There's really no... act or ... symbol at this point that could make me take our relationship more seriously then I do now... but if you can look at all of this, " He made a circular gesture with one long finger to indicate his own entire person, "This... hot mess right here... and say 'I want to put up with _that_ forever' then why wait some arbitrary period? We kill the Monster. We get married. You're my best friend, my lover, my _bro_. So marry me... and at the very least if i wind up in a skag pile some day you'll get my stuff."

Vaughn's eyes started to tear and he smiled a radiant smile. "I will. I will take this hot mess and all his stuff in the bonds of legal matrimony." He bent down and scooped up Rhys into a kiss that was more tongue then anything else.

They spent the rest of the evening together, talking excitedly about the future which seemed now so incredibly bright. When they slept it was deep and peaceful.

 


	13. Fight and Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Rhys gives into his melodramatic impulses and runs afoul of the wild life.

Several sleep cycles passed in relative tranquility. Rhys threw himself wholeheartedly into the work before him. He and Fiona spent most of their time in the central command chamber pouring over the records and compiling information for the others. Yvette, Vaughn, and Loader Bot drifted in and out during the day as they went between other tasks.

Messages started to come in from their potential allies. When Fiona got the message from Janey Springs that she and Athena were safe and willing to help she had jumped out of her seat and bear hugged Rhys in excitement and relief. When August replied that he was willing to help, Rhys took the opportunity to beg Fiona to pick anyone other then him. When Zer0 sent a message Rhys went on a forty five minute long tirade about why they definitely had to choose him to put on the team that Fiona largely ignored.

At lunch and dinner they would gather together to meet and discuss details on the plan as it had started to unfold. They worked well together and given the lack of pressing immediate concerns other then planning they were able to get to know each other on a better level then they previously had.

It was over all very pleasing to be back in an atmosphere of conversation and company. Wherever he went, Rhys made an effort to get to know the residents of the base. There were only a couple of uncomfortable reunions when he ran into someone whom he had actively disliked. The worst was running into a former member of his department that he had directly sabotaged to earn them the ire of their old boss, Henderson.

Rhys was even sleeping through the nights and had gone days without having another panic attack. If he woke, it was due to Vaughn snoring or one of them accidentally kicking each other as they learned to get used to sleeping in the same bed together.

Vaughn lavished him with attention when they were alone together. It seemed that he anticipated all of Rhys' needs and worked to fulfill them. Rhys let himself enjoy it for a time and did his best to reciprocate in turn. At night he would give the man long back rubs, brush out his long hair, or do his best to master the art of oral sex.

Then one morning, Rhys' mood turned sour. It started off with a nightmare. It was not the sort that woke him up shouting and sweating, but rather the insidious sort that planted a seed of discord that grew into everything he attempted to do that day. Jack's voice had been in his head, mocking and jeering, reminding him of fall of Helios and his part in it.

Though he made attempts to focus on work and distract himself, he was filled with an anger that he could not fully comprehend which caused him to be snappish with everyone. By lunch he had managed to turn everyone from friendly concern to utter aggravation. Even Loader Bot was driven off by his toxic blend of sarcasm and passive aggression.

Vaughn, with a saint's patience had attempted to turn his mood around or otherwise calm him. A valiant effort was made to try to determine what exactly was bothering his fiancé so much, but thus far Rhys merely protested that there was nothing to talk about.

Fiona made it by the lunch table only long enough to grab food and leave. After Rhys sat down he observed that Yvette was looking daggers at him and Vaughn was looking down at his own hands.

"Is there something on your mind that you need to talk about, Rhys?" Yvette asked pointedly after watching Rhys drink from a cup of water.

"No," he grumbled glumly in response.

Yvette never really minced words, but it still surprised him when she asked "So there's no reason why you've been an abrasive dick all day?"

Rhys scoffed and casually threw a barb, "A little too soon for _you_ to be taking the moral _high_ _ground_ on anything. Don't you think?"

Yvette's eyes grew wide and she took in a rapid breath before breathing out, "Fuck _you_ , Rhys." He could tell his arrow had struck true there was something satisfying in wounding her.

Vaughn gaped at him, his pale eyes clearly showing his disappointment "Rhys," He stammered, " Damn it... What the heck is wrong with you?"

Yvette pushed her chair back and rose from the table, saying with a tightly controlled voice, "I'm going to _go_."

Vaughn looked up at her, "Yvette.. wait... Rhys, apologize _right_ now." He glared in his lover's direction.

Rhys did no such thing.

Yvette waved him off, "Vaughn, don't. If that's how he feels, that's how he feels." She walked off very quickly, her shoes clacking against the metal flooring as she left.

Vaughn's bearded visage looked livid as he stabbed a finger in Rhys' direction, "That was low, Bro. I think you should go to our room and take some time to think about why you're being such a jerk. You... you can't just refuse to talk about why you're upset every time anyone asks and then keep taking whatever it is out on everyone."

Rhys sighed and shrugged one shoulder, "I didn't _mean_ it."

"Then why would you _say_ it?" Vaughn's eyes rolled in exasperation.

"I don't know..." he replied gracelessly.

Vaughn lectured, "Well if you're going to talk to your friends that way, then maybe you should feel a little bad. You have been rude, unpleasant and... sullen all morning. Are you trying to drive people away? Because that's what you're doing," Vaughn spoke harshly, not really disguising the disgust in his voice.

"No...." Rhys folded his arms across his chest. It made his chest feel so tight to have Vaughn talk to him that way.

Vaughn looked like he was willing himself to be calmer, "Then what is your problem? Talk to me, _Please_."

"I don't know, okay!" Every muscle in him felt tense and alert.

Vaughn sighed, "Rhys, _Baby_... you can't just be mean to people because you're upset."

Rhys felt anger flare up in side of him and he shouted, "Stop being so nice!" Did he want to fight?

Vaughn spoke as he got up out of his chair and came around to Rhys' side of the table, "What do you want? Do you want me to be cruel to you? Because I'm not going to do that while you're having some sort of... breakdown." He reached out and lay a hand on the other man's arm.

Rhys said acidly, his echo eye narrowing with a flash, "Do you even understand, that back on Helios... I _never_ would have dated you, because of what other people would have thought."

Vaughn dropped his hand and took a full step back. He looked stricken for a moment, before his face went calm and his voice reverted back his old cold and clinical accountant's clip. "Wow, Rhys... Wow. You know... there was a time when you saying that to me... would have _destroyed_ me. Is that what you're trying to do? Do you want to hurt me?"

"No... Vaughn, I..." Rhys stammered.

"Well, _Mission accomplished_! I'm going to make sure Yvette is okay." With that Vaughn turned on his heel walked off in the direction Yvette had headed.

"Vaughn... wait..." Rhys got to his feet leaving lunch as yet another casualty of his rampage.

Vaughn either did not hear him, or was upset enough to keep going anyway.

Rhys huffed out a breath and turned the other direction to storm outside. It was cooler then normal as the dark cycle was soon approaching. Though he had no specific idea of where he was going, he knew he wanted to get as far away from people as possible. The respect with which he was for some reason still afforded made sure no one made any efforts at stopping him. It wasn't good to be around people when he felt this volatile, that much was made abundantly clear.

He did not want to think about why he was angry. He just wanted to be angry, so walked until it became necessary to climb over the debris field. Then he climbed. It felt liberating to be out doing something physical. Several more piles of debris and stretches of land were crossed before the irrational fury he was marching on started to evaporate. As he halted his progress, he realized that he was walking alone, unarmed and he was not exactly certain of his location.

"Great Job. Rhys... you are so damn brilliant," he said, as caustically sarcastic to himself as he had been with his friends. "Okay... I just go back.. this way.... over that ... ridge of garbage... and I think I'm good." He turned and walked back the way he came.

Climbing back up was a bit harder then it had been climbing down and it seemed to take longer. When he returned to the base, he knew he was going to have a world of apologies to make for being so intolerable. Vaughn was going to be the hardest. He was uncertain how to face him after saying something so awful.

When his anger returned it was more directly focused inward. He was angry at his own past failures, inadequacies and the nagging feeling that he did not deserve Vaughn as he was now after never taking him seriously enough as a romantic partner as he had been.

Because of this he was not paying as much attention as he should have been, he slipped on a piece of metal which brought him crashing down from a smile pile of junk on the ground with a cry of, "DAMN IT." He was grateful to find that other then being a little banged up he was not seriously injured. Back on his feet, he dusted himself off and took a look around himself.

At first it seemed like he was still alone. Then, there was movement on the horizon. A quick scan with his echo eye informed him that the dark shape at the top of last ridge was a spiderant worker. It also alerted him to the worker who was coming in close behind it.

Flight seemed a better response then fighting monsters with no weapon, and he turned and ran as fast as he could across the open ground back towards the next pile of debris. He pulled up his palm display to call the base. Yvette answered, "Rhys... Where are you? We've been looking..."

"SPIDERANTS," He shouted as he ran. There was no way he was going to be able to climb the next series of obstacles faster then those awful, insect-like things would be on him. Seeing a tight gap in between two large pieces of metal debris resting against each other, he decided to try to take refuge.

"Rhys where are you?!" Yvette was shouting.

He squeezed in between the pieces of metal. They formed a tight corridor about 10 feet deep that he followed until it ended abruptly in a tight wedge.

"RHYS?!" Yvette called out.

He whispered desperately, "I'm outside..."

Yvette sounded shocked, "WHY the _hell_ are you outside?"

"I'm East of the base... sending coordinates... Please send someone... I think I'm going to die." He tried to flatten himself against the wall. He could hear Yvette yelling at whoever else was with her but could not focus on what she was saying.

The black, chitinous form of the spiderant slammed hard against the debris pile, but it held firm. Rhys covered his face with his hands, preferring not to see his own demise. When it did not come, he peeked out between his fingers to see a black foreleg reaching in. The spiderant was too large to squeeze in far enough to get him, but the space he was in was too narrow.

"Rhys... stay with me. What's going on?" Yvette asked, desperately.

"Oh god oh god oh god... It can't fit... It's trying to get in... I'm in some of the wreckage. Yvette... if I die... I'm _so sorry_. I'm sorry I was such a jerk. I didn't mean it," he said in high pitched hysteria.

"You're not going to die, Rhys, just _hang on_." Yvette ordered.

"I _really_ might... _Please_ , tell Vaughn that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm such a stupid jerk and none of it was about him. It was all about me. Oh _hell_ there's another one!"

He cut the signal to Yvette and tried to stay quiet. Maybe if he was still and quiet they might give up and leave. When they did, he was certain that it was only to bring back others of their kind, so he opted to stay put and keep silent. After they were gone a good half hour he called Yvette back.

"Oh Rhys, thank god," Yvette said with relief, "Loader bot is almost to your location. Sit tight, we got you... and you're damn lucky he was already out there."

Rhys sounded thrilled, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! So much... I'll call if... anything happens." He closed out the call and sat quietly.

Five more minutes or so passed before Rhys could hear the sound of a shotgun being fired and the terrible chittering of dying spiderants.

After many rounds of shotgun fire, Loader Bot's distinctive voice boomed out from somewhere nearby, "Father. I have come to rescue you... again."

Rhys carefully shimmied out of his hidey hole carefully and ran to LB, who stood near by scanning the horizon with the Hyperion Conference Call shotgun.

"Hi."

"Loader Bot, thank you! Thank you so much! Let's go... before more come." He nearly slipped again as he worked at scrambling up the wreckage.

"Be more careful," was the robot's reply.

They walked and climbed mostly in silence. Loader bot walked behind him to guard him should any more of the creatures show up.

It worried Rhys that Vaughn did not try to call him, but he thought better of placing a call to him. He asked LB when they were close to home, "On a scale of one to ten... how ... mad do you think Vaughn is at me?"

Loader bot replied, "Your scale seems insufficient."

"Yeah," Rhys lamented, "Probably."

When at last they made their way into the base he found Yvette, Fiona and Vaughn were waiting for them near the main entrance.

Loader bot greeted the others, "Hi."

Vaughn rushed towards them, "Loader Bot, Thank you buddy!" He sounded elated as he ran straight to Rhys to embrace him.

Rhys could not meet his fiancé's eyes as he was pulled into tight embrace. He wrapped his arms around Vaughn in turn, closing his eyes and desperately trying to think about how he was going to explain himself.

Before the tall man could get any words out, Vaughn reached up, grabbed Rhys' ear and yanked it and the head attached to it down so that he could whisper harshly without having to rise on his tip toes, "You are going to go to our room and wait for me. I want your nose in the corner, your hands on your head... and you better have a really good explanation for what the _hell_ you were thinking going out there alone. Do you understand me?"

Rhys grimaced at the pain of having his ear pinched tight in-between Vaughn's thumb and forefinger. He muttered as low as possible, "Yes, Sir."

Vaughn released his tender ear, but before Rhys could even straighten his neck or attempt to reclaim any sense of dignity, the short man delivered a resounding slap to the seat of his slacks to propel him onward.

With no dignity left at present, Rhys covered his face with his hand so he didn't have to face the women or robot as he ran in full sprint down the hall.

When he got to the room he walked to the far corner by the bed and stood facing it. He stretched both arms up and put them over his head as he had been told to do and waited. Though he soon started to ache from keeping his arms up, he did not let them down.

The uncomfortableness of the position made it seem like much longer a span of time then it actually was before there was the sound of the door opening. He kept his nose firmly in the corner and waited, unsettled.

The foot steps came closer and he could feel Vaughn arms encircling him before the man buried his face in the back of Rhys' shirt. He was released after a while and it sounded like Vaughn had sat down on the bed. "When you are ready to talk to me honestly... you can come over here and sit down," he said, voice heavy with melancholy.

Rhys dropped his arms to his sides and slowly turned around to face him. "Vaughn..."

Vaughn patted the bed, softly, "Come here, Rhys. Sit down." His blue eyes were sad but he did not seem angry.

Rhys stepped over to the bed and sat down on the edge, "I'm so sorry... You don't deserve any of this... Vaughn... I don't think I'm good for you."

Vaughn laid a hand on the other man's knee, caressing it gently, "It feels like...you're doing to me what you always did to your girlfriends eventually... The thing you did when you wanted the relationship to be done... but didn't have the balls to just tell them you were done. You sabotage things... you act with casual cruelty and... BOOM you're single again. Do you want to be alone, Rhys?"

Rhys shook his head before hunching his shoulders and hanging his head forlornly, "No... but I think, maybe... that I should be."

Vaughn nodded encouragingly at that. "Why? What makes you feel that way?"

Rhys swallowed hard, "I don't... feel... worthy of your... love, I guess... because I was so shallow and stupid... and its like I know... deep down that I'm going to fuck it up... and hurt you."

"So you've made a self fulfilling prophecy about us and you're bound and determined to make it come true?" Vaughn's question was solemn.

"When... I said... what I said... I wasn't trying to hurt you... i was trying... to explain... why you should _already_ be hurt. You should already be running for the hills away from me and my shallow... stupid... everything." Rhys stared down at his lap, watching Vaughn's hand on his knee. "You're so good to me after I was so bad to you and sometimes I Just can't _take it_. After all I've done... to you... to the people whose deaths I caused. It doesn't feel right... to feel all right."

Vaughn exhaled, "You only have two options Rhys. One is to bear it... and trust me when I tell you that I don't care about how you used to feel. I care about how you feel now. Or, you can run away and just keep ... suffering... but I know you... and I know if I let you do that you'll destroy yourself, like you tried to today."

Rhys looked up at him, his eyes wet, "I want to be with you. I'm so sorry Vaughn. I Just needed you to know how awful I am, because I have to be sure you want me knowing .... who I am."

Vaughn smiled joylessly and leaned in close to kiss his cheek, "I've always known who you are. You're not awful... and I'm... I'm not perfect either, Rhys. I don't want you to put me up on a pedestal so that some day when I screw up it devastates you. We're both just ... _people_... and people _suck_... a lot of the time."

Rhys swiped his thumb and forefinger across his eyes to wipe away his tears as he listened.

Vaughn continued in what gradually became more of a rant, "And what happened with Helios was... bad. People died. But you didn't have great options. Focus on the people who lived." He gestured towards the door. "Do better. Be Better. The only person who is stopping you... _is_ you."

Rhys said in a low voice, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I scared you." He leaned in for a hug and felt ashamed at how easily it was given to him.

Vaughn held him close. "I forgive you for everything, dummy... and I take back everything I said about how you shouldn't talk about feeling this way. I'd rather you talk about it every day until you stop feeling this way then bottle it up until you explode."

Rhys nodded while burying his face in the other's warm neck.

"I thought I might lose you today out there. And I thought.. that it was my fault, for walking out on you. I went back to find you after checking on Yvette. I thought you'd be in the room like I told you... but you were gone... and then Yvette told me you were outside and in danger... Don't _ever_ do that to me again."

Rhys lifted his head to whisper, "I just wanted to clear my head... and I walked and... just got.. farther out then I thought. When I realized how far out I had gotten I turned back... it's only thanks to my echo eye that I saw them."

"I warned you about the spiderants and I'm sure I told you on multiple occasions _not_ to go out of the bounds of the camp alone," Vaughn's voice sounded strained.

"I know. It was reckless." Rhys admitted, resting his cheek on Vaughn's shoulder.

"Beyond reckless." He huffed out a sigh, "Still, I'm sorry I slapped you in front of everyone. That's our private business and I should have waited until we were alone."

Rhys said, "It's fine... given what I put you through. I don't care if people know you're... in charge."

"Well, I tell you what. I'm not going to tell you what to do in all things... but I will make sure you know when you're in the wrong. I feel like if I'd have dragged you off earlier and smacked some sense into you things probably wouldn't have gotten so out of hand, but I also don't want to... actually abuse you. I worry about that."

Rhys shook his head, "I trust you, completely... and it may have helped."

Vaughn thought about it a moment, "Alright... well... you have to promise me to talk to me about what you need... especially if i outright ask you... because if you need me to be mad at you... I act mad at you, but I don't want you trying to piss me off and push me into it, because I don't ever want to hit you when I'm actually angry... okay?"

"I promise, Vaughn." He nodded. "I'll work at being... more open... So... do you think Yvette is okay?"

Vaughn grimaced and said, "She's probably okay now... but... you did make her cry."

"Hell..." Rhys had never seen her cry over anything other then the occasional ending to a bad movie.

Vaughn sounded gentle and encouraging, "Yeah... you need to talk to her... at some point. Fiona and LB need an apology too. You were super douchey."

"I know..." He lifted his head and sat up with a sigh. "Things were going... really good... I can't believe I had to mess everything up. Except I can..."

"Everything isn't all messed up. You're alive... you're safe, for the moment, and Yvette and Fiona and LB... they care about you and I'm sure they'll forgive you if you ask them to."

"Maybe... I should go do that now." Rhys glanced at the door.

Vaughn nodded, "You should. It will be dinner soon." He moved his hand up to take a hold Rhys' chin before he could move away. His voice got lower and harsher, and he looked Rhys in the eyes with no small amount of menace, "You won't be able to later tonight... because I'm going to spank your ass so raw with that antenna and whatever else I can get my hands on that you're not going to sit for a week without being reminded of why you need to talk to me when you're upset instead of running away from home. What are you, A 12 year old?"

Though he was duly threatened by Vaughn's words, the last comment made him laugh uneasily. He slid off of the bed and onto the floor on his knees. "No Sir." He pushed Vaughn's legs apart so he could hug him around the middle tightly, like a supplicant, "Thank you... I love you."

Vaughn smiled faintly to himself and patted Rhys' hair, "Go on... I'll see you at dinner. I love you too."

 


	14. The Impact of Love and Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys makes up with his friends and faces the music. Vaughn makes sure he knows the error of his ways. This is maybe a bit on the severe side of impact play, so if that sort of thing bothers you may wish to avoid this. As always, spoilers through EP 5 of Tales.

Rhys ran into Fiona first after failing to find Yvette in her room. He raised his left hand in a shy wave and gave her a sheepish smile. "Hi?" He said it like a question.

"Hey, Rhys," she said with light amusement. She stopped to stand and talk with him. "You okay, there?"

He ambled up closer to her and leaned his metal arm against the wall. "Yeah. I am, ah, sorry for being so..." His vocabulary failed him and he trailed off.

"I know," She said, leaning in to give him a little, friendly punch his left shoulder. "It's fine."

Rhys breathed out a sigh of relief, "Thank you."

Fiona also leaned against the wall, her slender arms folding across her chest, "You know even for you, though... this was pretty stupid... not the part where you were a bitch all morning, but the part where you thought it was a great idea to take a long walk with the spiderants."

Rhys agreed, dolefully, "Yeah, I'm can't argue that. I just... thought I should go away from people... I said ... some really... horrible things to Vaughn and Yvette after you left."

Fiona nodded, her brows arching up high as she clucked her tongue, "Oh I know. They told me. In fact, I'm not even sure why you're worried about me, given all that."

Rhys did not want to think about what their conversation about him was like. "Well I was still a jerk so I'm still sorry... and I was looking for Yvette... but here you are."

Fiona looked up and down the hall before saying, "We were really worried, Jackass. I was up there when you called. When we didn't hear from you... when you went dark... we really thought you might be toast. We had to stop Vaughn from going out after you... though if LB hadn't been out there, we would have come in a heartbeat, but doesn't sound like you had that kind of time." She unfolded her arms to punch him again in the same spot with more force.

"Ow, Hey..." Rhys protested, his lips turning into a small pout.

"Don't be stupid again," She said as she unexpectedly stepped forward and brought him in for a sturdy hug.

Rhys hugged her back, gratefully. "I am incapable of making that promise. I can only promise to not do the same stupid thing again."

The con artist clapped him on the back as they parted. "Good, I guess. You and Vaughn going to be alright?" She fixed her hat, which had gone askew.

Rhys pursed his lips and squinted glancing back in the directing of his room. "Yeah. He's... pretty disappointed with me, but it's going to be okay."

"He made that pretty clear." She flashed him a smug grin that made him want to squirm before saying, "I'm glad you're working it out. I hate to see trouble in nerd paradise... Yvette's probably still up in the control room. I need to head to my room before dinner. See you in a bit?"

"Yeah. See you... and thanks, Fiona. I don't know if I've said it before... but I'm... really stoked that you're my friend," He said, timidly.

Fiona fixed him with a natural smile, "Me too. I'm a little new to this 'having friends' business. For the longest time it was just Sasha, Felix and I against the world. I like it."

He gave her a toothy grin in return, "Tell Sasha to get out here. I miss her."

Fiona nodded, "Don't worry, she'll be coming soon. I'll catch you later."

He gave her another wave and hurried off down the hall as she continued back on to her room.

When he found Yvette she was sitting at a terminal, reading. Hearing him approach she lifted her head and said, "You're still alive."

Rhys snagged a chair and wheeled it over near to hers, "Yeaaaaah... presently."

"We were scared out of our minds, Rhys... I think my blood pressure is still through the roof," she said, looking up at him, her expression unmistakably guarded. "If I have a coronary you better be at my bedside to feed me through my recovery."

Rhys settled in the chair next to her and looked her in the eye to say, "I'm sorry about everything today. I was... really a dick. I don't really feel like that. I just felt attacked and... launched a... nuclear counter strike in response... crashing and trying to bring everyone down with me. And that's not an excuse... I'm not... downplaying... I was..."

Yvette cut him off, "Rhys... I know a little bit about what you're going through. Vaughn told me about your nightmares... anxiety. I've been wrestling with that stuff, too. I had been hoping you'd come talk to me about it, but I haven't wanted to push."

"Yeah... I'm sorry... I've been so caught up in..." He drummed his metal fingers on the arm of the chair.

"Vaughn?" She said suddenly with a wink.

Rhys chuckled and ducked his head, "Yeah."

She continued to grin, mischievously, "I am honestly a little surprised to see you."

Rhys rubbed the back of his neck before fixing his hair as his cheeks grew ruddy, "He's going to kill me after dinner."

She reached over and patted his arm and said with no real sympathy, "Poor Baby."

Rhys moved the subject back in the other direction, "I didn't know you were having trouble too..."

"Don't go thinking that I don't still feel terrible about what I did." She leaned forward in her chair a bit while looking him in the eye.

"You don't have to explain yourself... and hell... even Vaughn made a deal with Vasquez against me. No one's perfect," he shrugged.

"You saved my life... twice... after I left you and Vaughn hung out to dry. I'm never going to forget that Rhys," Yvette, said seriously.

"You saved me today. I won't forget that either... You and LB."

Yvette smiled wryly, "There would not be enough soap on Pandora to keep my shirts clean of Vaughn's tears if your skinny, dumb ass died out there... _again_. That was purely self and shirt preservation. But seriously, if you need to talk about what you're feeling, you can come talk to me. I miss talking to you... and I've learned some things about... dealing with it all."

"Thanks, Yvette... that means a lot. I get so angry sometimes. It's at myself but it goes... in every other direction. I always did that... actually... but Its harder to control now... and maybe I'm... a little sick of myself."

She laid her hand over his silver one and said, "A lot of us here feel like we woke up when we came to Pandora. You didn't work at Hyperion without... a willingness to do foul things in the name of self advancement. There were sharks from upper management all the way down to the cafeteria staff and it just kept getting more out of control the longer we worked there. You aren't alone in feeling like a bastard."

His flesh hand moved atop hers and he rubbed his fingers across her knuckles, "I've missed you. I'm really... really... glad you're here. Vaughn has talked a lot about how much he's needed your help in taking care of everyone."

She leaned in close to him, saying, "You and Vaughn are my best friends. I'm here for you both. We're just a big old Ex-Hyperion support group here."

Rhys said in jest, "Hi, my name is Rhys, and I'm a recovering Hyperion Employee..."

"Joke all you want, but sometimes some of us get together and talk through things... like a group therapy. There's enough guilt to go around and I know you would get a lot of support there. If you're ever up for it I can arrange something."

Rhys murmured back, "Yeah... I think that might be good for me... I'd be willing to give it a shot." He rose from his chair and pulled her up to hug him without warning, "Come on in here, we're going to hug it out."

"Oh my God," she laughed, "Don't crush me with that robo-arm, fool."

Eventually, they made their way down to dinner together, linked arm in arm.

The evening's supper was a little quiet, but for the most part very relaxed. The subject of Rhys' misadventure was avoided, charitably, by all. They spoke instead on their upcomming plans as well as some issues around the camp that were of concern. Namely, the Spiderants in general.

Rhys was on his best behavior and did not speak as often as he was usually inclined to. Part of that was owed to the fact that he was ravenous after missing lunch and busy stuffing food into his mouth.

Vaughn sat close to him, keeping a hand on his knee much of the meal, possessively. At one point when the women were talking to each other he leaned close and said, "I left you some instructions on the desk. When you're done eating, you should go look at them. I'll be back in an hour or so."

Rhys said a very quiet, "Yes, Sir" He smiled in spite of the twinge of fear that ran through him like an electric shock. Rising he said, in his best faux-casual voice, "Well, Ladies... brave Loader bot, beloved Vaughn. I am going to turn in. Good night."

Fiona tipped her hat to him, "Sleep tight, don't let the Spiderants bite."

Yvette cackled and Vaughn smirked in amusement.

Even Rhys chuckled before saying, "I hate you all... and I love you all." He gave Vaughn a peck on the lips and headed out.

 

 

*********

 

 

When Rhys made it back to the room after a brief stop at the bathroom he was surprised to find the furniture had been slightly rearranged. The desk was now out in the main part of the room instead of tucked away into a corner. There were coils of nylon rope dyed to a bright indigo resting on top of it along side a pen and a piece of paper. The pace of his heartbeat quickened as he reached out and picked up the note.

It read:

_R.,_

_I expect the following by the time I come in tonight: You will be undressed, washed up, and ready to answer for your actions. You will stand in the corner with your hands at your sides and contemplate your errors while you wait for me. Furthermore, you will remember that you have a safe word. I will not be angry if you use it. You may find that you need to. Please sign and date this on the blank below._

_Love, V._

A blank was drawn below after the phrase, " _I have read and understand this document_." Rhys picked up the pen and hastily signed and dated the document. He added his own note underneath, " _The above signatory acknowledges the above. He also understands that he has been exceedingly difficult but hopes that you know he loves you very much and is very sorry_." He added his initials to the end of the line, which was properly businesslike. Then he added a little hastily drawn heart, which was not.

Swallowing he hurried out of all of his clothing before washing up. He made sure to straighten up his stuff in the room as well. As days had gone on he had gotten a little more lax on his agreement to clean up after himself and he really did not want to give Vaughn any more reasons to be upset with him. That completed, he wedged his nose into the corner with a sigh and leaned his forehead against the wall junction.

Vaughn came in a short time latter, without saying anything right away. He gave a chortle after picking up the note. "I love you too. Come and kneel here." He pointed at the ground in front of him.

Rhys turned and slunk across the room before getting on the floor on his knees. He looked up at Vaughn. It was an enjoyable view, even knowing that he was in immanent danger of that short stack of muscles being used against him.

Vaughn looked down at him with a tight lips. "I may have lied to you earlier, when I said I wouldn't hit you while I was angry." Not a promising start. "I think the word I was looking for was calm. We're fricking Vault Hunters, its not like we have problems with danger and taking risks... but that at least serves a purpose. You didn't tell anyone. You didn't take a gun. Do you think I want to comb miles of Pandora looking for your corpse a second time?"

Rhys swiveled his head down to look at the floor; his shoulders hunching. "No Sir."

Vaughn commanded, "Look at me. I want to see your eyes when I talk to you," as he loomed over Rhys.

Rhys lifted his chin and looked back up in to Vaughn's eyes.

Vaughn sighed, though it had a dreamy, wistful quality to it rather then the expected disappointment, "Look at you. you're so... elegant like that. I love that new eye. I think it suits you better then the blue one did."

Rhys said, self consciously, "I didn't think you liked my eye at all."

Vaughn lips quirked up at the corners, "I didn't want you to do it, because I still maintain that it was an insane decision, but its part of you now. You know what I like? I like _all_ of you. The perfect parts and the imperfect parts. The flesh and the circuitry. The blood and the metal. The genius. The idiot."

Rhys was quiet, but he smiled back.

Vaughn reached a hand down and stroked his cheekbone. "I like you the most all safe and in one piece."

The smile slipped away from Rhys' face. He started to look down but thought better of it, "Yes, Sir."

"Alright... time for a very long talk." He left Rhys as he was and grabbed the thickest blanket off of the bed and worked on folding it. "What happened this morning. What set you off?"

"I had a bad dream, sir." Rhys admitted, "About Jack."

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" He took the folded up blanket and placed it over the edge of the narrow side of the desk.

"I was just trying to ... deal with it on my own."

"And how did that go?"

"Not well, I guess."

Vaughn nodded and held out both of his hands. Rhys took them and was helped up to his feet, "You guess?"

"No... I know."

Vaughn took him by his ear again and pulled him over to the desk, "Bend over."

Rhys bent over the edge of the desk while Vaughn's hands helped guide him to the correct position. The extra padding of the blanket helped raise his butt up into the air in a most vulnerable position, while also protecting his front from the hard angles of the desk.

Once settled, Vaughn started working with the rope. He picked up one of the coils and started working at tying it. "Stretch your arms out as far as you can in front of you. I'm going to make sure you stay put."

Rhys sounded a bit faint, "Yes, Sir." He stretched his arms out as bid. With his chin resting on the desk, he looked up to watch Vaughn's movements. The look on his lover's face was of intense concentration, the tip of his tongue protruding just slightly from his lips while his heavy brows were furrowed. Vaughn was no Boy Scout, so Rhys got the impression that either he had done this before and was working from memory, or he had recently learned it and was just now putting it into practice.

Vaughn slid the coil of rope around his silver wrist and pulled it tight. At least that arm had no circulation to worry about. He ducked down behind the opposite side of the desk and made short work of securing it on the other side. Rhys was left with enough slack to allow for some movement, but not enough to escape. He repeated the action on the other wrist, making sure to leave enough room for him to move so as to not damage his joints.

"We were going to use this rope for more fun purposes... and we still will... but now its going to be another day." He bent down by Rhys' feet and started working on securing them to the desk's leg supports with the vibrant, indigo rope.

"I'm sorry, Sir..." Rhys said sincerely. He had about a thousand fantasies about being tied up and tortured with pleasure.

"It's alright... lets get back to breaking down your mistakes... so you had the nightmare and you didn't talk to me about it, but you let it bother you all morning? What happened in the dream." He worked on tying the other foot.

"It was just..." He sighed, "Jack... taunting me... about everything... about how cold blooded I was to crash the station. How I was just like him and one day I'd look back from atop a pile of bodies and I'd understand that."

"That sounds terrible," Vaughn breathed, "Even your subconscious doesn't want to give you a break." Vaughn finished securing him completely before rising and checking all the points of bondage, making sure nothing was too tight so as to cut off circulation. "I was with you when you woke up. You didn't mention it. Do I detect that you didn't want to bother me?"

Rhys closed his eyes and muttered, "Yes, Sir."

Vaughn stood back a moment and slapped him hard on the behind. "That was mistake number one. I want to hear about all your bad dreams. Or if you don't want to talk about them you could at least tell me you had one... and let me comfort you." He slapped him again on the other side, leaving two pink handprints emblazoned across his skin.

Rhys whined softly and tested the ropes at his wrists. There was no way for him to get out of this position if he wanted to. "Yes, sir."

Vaughn moved away and Rhys could see him going for the hairbrush. He bit his lip, nervously until Vaughn returned.

The first swat of the brush landed with a blaze of pain. Vaughn said as he proceeded to smack him with it again, "I can't read your mind." He cracked the wood down again, "So you need to talk to me." As he continued speaking he punctuated every sentence with a crisp crack of wood against his captive lover's soft skin. The blows varied where they landed so Rhys had no way of anticipating where the next one would fall. "You're not alone any more. You don't deal with your problems alone anymore. Do you understand me?"

"YES!" Rhys said loudly, before adding the, "Sir." He decided early on that he was not going to attempt any stoicism. This was going to hurt like hell by the time Vaughn was through by all indications and he knew on some level that his man didn't require any false bravado from him. He started to make small cries of pain at the blows.

Vaughn placed a gentle hand on his lower back before the swats of the makeshift paddle continued. He was already hitting him a fair amount on the thighs and Rhys nervously contemplated that this was likely going to be the worst beating he had ever received in his life. The women he dated who enjoyed beating him were for the most part the sort that just gave a little slap and tickle. No one ever took the time to be so thorough as his present lover. No one else had ever made him feel so owned and loved. No one else had ever made him weep so pitifully as Vaughn had already done twice.

Rhys called out in mostly single syllable laments, "OooooWW! OOOh! Oh!" He lost count of the blows somewhere around the mark of twenty. Though he knew it would avail him little he still shifted and pulled at the ropes holding his arms, growing ever more desperate to try to stop the blows that were painting his backside red. His near shouted protests of pain grew more strangled.

Then things stopped. Vaughn said sternly, "Alright... so we've covered failing to talk to me about what you were going through. What was the next mistake you made, Rhys?"

Rhys groaned, and breathed a moment. It took too long for Vaughn's liking and he slapped him with the wood again, smartly.

"OW! I took it out on everyone!" he sputtered out.

"Correct." Vaughn started to direct the pain right to the bottom of his nether cheeks to make sitting an exciting experience of remembered pain. "And what did we all try to do?"

Rhys breathed hard and his voice sounded so strained, "Help me... talk to me..."

He was swatted on the other cheek in the same location. "Yes. Instead of getting hugs and attention and positive reactions, you took things out on everyone. And now you're here getting your pretty ass spanked."

It felt to Rhys like his posterior was on fire as he Vaughn rained down three more swats in a row on one sit spot, and then repeated it on the other.

Rhys felt tears flooding his eyes. This wasn't good. They hadn't even gotten to the worst offense of the day. The brush was set down and Rhys suddenly felt pain unexpectedly between his thighs. Vaughn was slapping him with his hand on the tender inner meat of his thigh. There would be no refuge even in standing.

Rhys writhed against the table, pulling at the ropes. "I'm sorry! Oh god, Vaughn, I'm sorry! Please... stop... ahhhh." He both meant it and did not mean it. In a strange way it felt good to beg Vaughn to stop, only to have him do no such thing. He was cognizant of the safe word. It could be used it at any time, but he also knew paradoxically that he needed this outlet of controlled suffering to help calm the tumultuousness of his soul.

"Beg all you want, I'm not stopping until you pay for every last mistake today," Vaughn said, continuing his work on the reddened inner thighs.

Rhys wept softly, his breath starting to come in hitches.

With this Vaughn stopped. He took a long, leisurely walk around the table to inspect Rhys from all angles. His capable hands reached out and checked the bond on Rhys' flesh wrist which did not show any of the tell-tale signs of lack of circulation. He checked his feet as well before soothing a hand over the quivering flesh of his fiancé's rump. "There, there darling... We've only one more thing for you to answer for, though it's going to be the worst of them."

Rhys had already moistened the top of the desk with his tears. He sobbed soft little boo-hooing cries as Vaughn moved away to fetch the dreaded antenna. He could hear him swishing it through the air to test the heft and weight of it.

The bandit asked, "What's the last mistake you made, Rhys?"

Rhys tried to take in some breaths to calm himself and make it easier to speak. He hated the way his voice sounded, so tearful and childish, "I... left the camp... without protection."

"Yes... you risked your life for no valid reason. Take a deep breath, baby. This is going to hurt... a lot. Not nearly as much as thinking you might be dead did to me... but close," Vaughn said in a low voice.

Rhys cried louder now, "Oh god... m'sorry!" He waited in agony for the last portion to begin.

He could hear the swoosh again before he was jolted with the white hot pain of the implement whipping across the fleshiest portion of his bottom. A wail of pain came from his lips and he let his forhead rest against the top of the desk.

The next swat of the antenna landed just an inch or so below the first one and felt like what being branded with a hot iron must feel like. Vaughn also left this one to sink in for a moment before deliving a third one, still lower then the other two.

By the fourth Rhys was full on wailing out his pain. It was a good thing his hands were tied because he would not have been able to resist getting his hand whipped on accident for trying to interfere. This hurt like the devil himself were beating him with a whip of hell fire. There would be welts.

Vaughn continued on down the backs of his thighs with three more swooshes and cracks against the already red flesh.

He felt Vaughn stop to trace the line of one of the wheals with his rough finger. "Yeah... I knew you weren't going to like this. Effective though, I think." he then rubbed Rhys' back for a few minutes.

Rhys face was a mess of tears and snot and he was a crying a literal puddle onto the desk. His shoulders shook from violence of his sorrowed cries.

"Normally, I'd let you be done... but we're going to have a grand finale today... because you need to remember to never, ever, _ever_ be so careless with your life again." Vaughn said, sounding loving in spite of the harshness of his hands.

Rhys went up on his tip toes, pushing his ass higher into the air in an effort to signal that he was ready to take whatever he was being given.

"Good boy." Vaughn said before cracking the antenna across his ass again, this time above the first wheal. In swift succession he put another above that. And finally one more right on the crease where his rump ended and thigh began. He made sure not a single line crossed the others.

Still not finished however, he set the implement down and began spanking Rhys over everything with the hard palm of his right hand.

Rhys was beside himself in pain, howling freely as Vaughn finished his loving abuse with a final volley of resonating smacks on top of all those perfectly lined welts.

Then those rough hands were on his back, rubbing up and down before one started soothing back his hair. "Good boy... that's my good boy. It's all over now. My poor baby. I'm going to free your hands. Don't try to get up yet..." Vaughn hunched down out of sight of Rhys, who really couldn't see anything through his haze of tears and pain. In a short amount of time Rhys could feel his left hand was now freed from the bottom of the desk. In a few more moments the other arm was freed as well. Vaughn left his legs bound and moved away from him for a moment.

Rhys drew his flesh hand to his face and cried into it as Vaughn disappeared for a short time somewhere behind him. There was the sound of dripping water from the basin before Rhys felt the cold, wet dab of a washcloth against his chastened skin. Vaughn unfolded the cloth and draped it over his entire rear before he bent down to unfasten Rhys' feet.

When he was finished, moved around to the front of Rhys and gently loosened and slid the indigo ropes from Rhys' wrists before closely checking the flesh arm. Vaughn picked up another wetted towel he had set aside and gently used a hand to raise Rhys' face so he could offer it to him. Rhys did what he usually did, and buried his face in it, the cool cloth feeling as good on his hot face as the one did on his burning rump.

Vaughn put a firm hand on the nape of his neck and squeezed before using both hands to massage his back a bit, "You took that so well... I'm so proud of you. You are so good... and so gorgeous in ropes. Everything is in the past now and I want you to forgive yourself, for me. Okay, love?"

Rhys nodded his head, face still hidden in the wet cloth, sniveling and crying.

He removed the cloth from Rhys' behind and said, "Do you want to try to stand up, baby? I think someone needs a ton of hugs."

Rhys nodded and lifted his face, wiping it on the towel. He was still crying, however, so that wouldn't help him for long. He braced his hands on the sides of the desk and slowly rose to his feet. Vaughn stood beside with an arm against his back to steady him and catch him if he was not stable enough. The tall brunette did not topple, however, and soon he was hunched down with his arms around Vaughn, crying into his hood covered neck.

Vaughn held him close, rubbing his back and continuing to praise him softly, "Even when you mess up, I still think you're wonderful. I am so lucky... to finally have you all to myself. My gorgeous Rhys. You have no idea how much I adore you, baby." After a pause he said, "I like this part. Where you cling to me like a life preserver... but you should rest... let's get you into bed." He settled Rhys down on his stomach and got a fresh cloth for him to wipe his face before pouring more water on the other cloth and wringing it out again to lay on Rhys' behind.

Rhys was still not quite verbal, though he was starting to get himself more under control. Vaughn's tender ministrations brought his mind back to the infection he contracted shortly after the surgery and installation of his echo eye and arm unit. It was not really that long ago, considering everything.

He had predictably not followed the Doctor's instructions quite as thoroughly as he should have and in spite of his best friend's best efforts he found himself with a difficult infection, a persistent fever, and a few more days stay back at the med unit.

When he had been released, his metal arm had been removed to wait for the infection to subside. Vaughn, without asking him, had exhausted his remaining week of vacation days for the fiscal year to stay at his side and care for him. The year was barely half over. Rhys was tended to with cold cloths to his forehead, rehanged frequently, and endless cups of some terrible herbal tea with an equally endless supply of pain pills and antibiotics.

Rhys had required help with everything from using the bathroom and washing up, to dressing and feeding himself. By this point, he recalled, they had not touched each other, drunk or otherwise, in any sexual fashion in over a year. Rhys had been with a steady girlfriend most of that time and though he liked to pretend that it was getting serious, she dumped him preemptively when he decided to get the cyber ware. She had told him she didn't want to sleep with a cyborg, but Rhys had always assumed that she just wanted to make sure and dump him before he had the surgery so that if his brain was accidentally damaged she would not feel any responsibility for taking care of him.

He came back to the present when Vaughn covered him carefully with a yellow sheet before climbing into bed next to him. Rhys blew his nose hard into the cloth, swallowed and cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice sounded raw and strained. "I love you so much. You take... such good care of me."

Vaughn settled on his back and Rhys curled against him, using his arm as a pillow. "Totally happy too. Though... I think we may need to call off the pain play for the conceivable future. Don't think you want to be limping around when the serious vault hunters show up."

"No... not at all. I'm going to take... some time with Yvette. She says she can help me... that she's gone through some similar stuff. So... I think it'll help me function better."

Vaughn said, "Yeah, she has... and I think it will. I think you are getting better. I mean today was a setback, but not everything puts you back to step one. You were doing great for days. So talk to her about what you're feeling, talk to me, to Fiona - just keep talking. I know you like the sound of your own voice," He teased, "So it shouldn't be hard."

"I will... though I'll be doing it all standing... unnggg," He whined.

Vaughn kissed his forehead, "You'll live. You know you're tough as hell. Maybe not... the greatest fighter or... whatever, but you can take a lot of abuse and keep on going. I think that's hot."

"I'm Pandora's hottest punching bag," Rhys complained, though it was mostly a joke.

"Nah, you're the tough as nails CEO of Atlas, man. The guy who doesn't let a simple ass kicking get in his way or stop him from fighting for what he wants." Vaughn raised his arm that Rhys was not using for a pillow to gesture broadly to the ceiling. "You're a survivor... and that is a good thing."

Rhys said, "Vaughn... this is kind of weird... but would you - could you - sing for me? I used to love to hear you singing in your room... or in our shower."

It was Vaughn's turn finally to look flustered, "Seriously? I mean, yeah, but I haven't really sang anything in a long time... and I might..."

Rhys cut him off, "I don't care... at all. I can close my eyes, if it helps."

Vaughn chuckled and took in a deep breath, "Okay... but... okay." He took in another deep breath and sang a song they both knew well. It was an old one he had loved from their college days. It was a little on the cheesy, power ballad side of the music spectrum but it made Rhys smile as he closed his eyes lay still.

 


	15. Pillow Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little serious discussion. A little light banter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these nerds so much. I literally can't stop myself. Probably going to wrap this up before too long but ugh. No willpower. I have no control over the schmaltz.

When Rhys awoke he was laying flat on his stomach with his arms spread out on either side of him and his face half on and half off of his pillow. He could just barely remember the tail end of a pleasant dream. Vaughn and he had been laying on a couch in their last apartment with the smaller man lounging against the taller one. They were binge watching episodes of some show that most likely did not actually exist and having an a mild argument over the chronology of events in one of their favorite old science fiction series. It all seemed very familiar, like a patchwork of memories of similar events edited down into a single perfect scene.

The Vaughn in the waking world was nearby, laying on his back with his arms crossed behind his head. When he could see that the other one was awake he said a soft, "Heeeeeey." He was still clothed from the waist down.

Rhys smiled back, "Hey." He wormed his way closer to him and slithered one skinny arm around Vaughn's stomach.

Vaughn stretched his arms out so he could put one around Rhys. At times, it seemed to Rhys as though Vaughn could not keep his hands off of his body. There was nothing wrong with that. "How are you feeling? You weren't out long. Maybe a couple hours... but I forget you probably already know that."

Rhys hummed, "mmm hmmm." He reached up to run his fingers across Vaughn's chest. "I'm ... okay. My... everything hurts. Headache... and, you know... but its fine."

Vaughn's fingers responded by stroking lightly at the base of Rhys' neck. "Poor thing. You're not... mad at me, right?"

Rhys looked confused, "What? No... why?"

Vaughn said, "I beat the snot out of you, man. I just wanted to make sure."

Rhys shrugged, "You're fine. I know you'd have stopped if I told you to."

"Of course I would... if you want to hang out in bed tomorrow... you can. I'll bring you food or whatever else you need," Vaughn offered.

Rhys nodded. "I'll probably take you up on that. I think... that I've realized something."

"What's that?" Vaughn asked, pausing to cram a pillow behind his head so he could see the other mans' face better. That done he put his arm back around Rhys and resumed rubbing his neck.

"I don't think I had a problem with intimacy in general. I think I couldn't give the women I dated most of myself because I... already had given it to you. I know, I could never... express how I felt about you... or let myself get ... completely to the point of full on sex with you... but you always had everything else."

Vaughn's lips pulled up at the corners, "I kind of always thought you were embarrassed of being into guys at all. I mean you were super supportive of me...when I did the whole coming out thing... but it always seemed like you didn't want people to think of you that way."

Rhys' eyes half closed, "It didn't fit what I was supposed to ... be. I was supposed to have some impossibly gorgeous trophy wife. We'd marry... have some stupid, pretty kids... then hate each other a couple years in... get a spectacular divorce. Rinse, Repeat. That's the way it worked in my family... so I was always just looking to do the expected... But you were always the person I had the most fun with. The person I told everything to. The person I wanted to be laying on the couch with at night watching TV. Here I always told you needed to care less about what other people think and... maybe I should have been telling that to myself."

"Well, better late then never, right?" He looked over Rhys with fond eyes, "I'm especially glad you're over the sex thing."

"I know, right? You're like ... NNNnnnnnnnggg. So good." He sighed, then, "Okay, I'm going to get something else off my chest now... I'm a little retroactively jealous that you honed your craft on other guys because I was too uptight to get on the full Vaughn experience."

Vaughn smirked, "I'm going to give about zero fucks on that one, Babe. You snoozed you... lose...d. Lost."

"Any of them still around?" Rhys enquired with blatant curiosity.

Vaughn's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "Am I going to regret answering this question?" Rhys didn't reply and he affirmed, "I'm going to regret answering this question. Seriously, don't be ridiculous. Yes. They're around. I'm not freaking out that you're going to run back to an old girlfriend, so trust me when I say I'm not going to get a wild urge to go sleep with some old sex pal. I didn't the whole time you were dead. It's not going to happen now..." Then he dropped a most unexpected bombshell, "But Uh... yeah, so I maybe did make out with Yvette once."

Rhys sounded utterly scandalized, "No way." It was not because he was upset, though Vaughn did not seem to realize that.

"It was... you know... one of those things." He talked quickly, while looking up at the ceiling, "We were both pretty... wrecked emotionally and we were sharing a room... and a bed... because we were having trouble being alone. She was just you know, holding me and gave me a kiss... Just one of those 'Hey its going to be okay things' and I kinda kissed her too and it went on a little... Some clothes came off... Then I tried to get her bra off and the whole thing just... broke down... spectacularly. We REALLY thought you were dead."

Rhys listened incredulously, "Wow... that's... Ha-ha amazing! You almost had funeral sex for me! I'm kind of honored." He put his hand over his heart.

Vaughn laughed anxiously, "Yeah, well... fortunately we both came to our senses and ... realized we were both just missing you... and that I don't know the first thing about ... boobs much less the whole ladycave situation."

"It's not rocket science." Rhys started laughing, which only made Vaughn laugh more.

After their laughter wound down Vaughn said, "I was going to tell you... I just... didn't want to upset you."

Rhys teased, "How can I be mad. I had sex with _everyone_ at Atlas. All me of me. It was a non-stop one-way."

Vaughn snickered, "Hot. You sure you didn't have a sensual affair with Cassius? A little May/December, Mad-science-daddy sort of thing?"

Rhys laughed and thumped him on the chest with an open hand, "No... I kinda wonder what happened to that guy, though. I thought for sure he'd still be there... but I didn't know where else to go... and I figured I could talk him into working for me. I mean... I was kinda pissed at Fiona and Sasha for the whole leaving me to die thing... so I was going to tell him that she didn't represent me and see if I could get him to come work for me... doing whatever he was already doing..."

Vaughn, started to chuckle again.

Rhys hit him lightly again before pushing himself up onto his hands and knees. The movement reminded him of all the parts that ached and his exhale turned into a breathy whistle. His fine features were set in a look that was by equal measures pained and embarrassed. "You're going to need a new toy. I think you broke me," he said, mournfully. 

Vaughn sat up easily and said. "Stay like that a second... let me look."

Rhys stayed put as he was bid, "Look, right? Just look... right?"

Vaughn was unexpectedly bold as he got up onto his knees. "I'll touch if I like." He lay a hand on Rhys' back as he admired his own handiwork. He did not, however, lay a hand on the tender skin.

"I think I'll take you up on staying in tomorrow... I don't suppose I could convince you to stay with me."

"I'll have to do some things to do... but I think we can work that out," Vaughn said before patting his back, "You can get up or... whatever you were doing."

Rhys climbed up out of bed an hobbled a few feet away to stretch out. "Just need to stretch. Damn, it hurts." He gave Vaughn a tight smile. "I'm really glad I didn't have to try to ... explain all this to you. Because I ... probably wouldn't have been able to... since I don't really get it myself."

Vaughn grinned, "Made it easier for me too... though, I've been really tempted to make up an obscure fetish to try to horrify you but my imagination keeps failing me... or worse you'll actually be into it."

Rhys said with a knowing look, "You like wrestling. It's basically the first thing you did as soon as you got drunk enough to stop being self-conscious. Hell its probably the only reason we started fooling around in the first place."

Vaughn laughed, "And yet you wrestled back."

"And let you win," Rhys said as he picked up the sheet and draped it around himself.

"oh you did _not_ ," Vaughn sounded affronted at his bold faced lie.

Rhys looked down his nose at him with a feigned sneer, "We clearly need a rematch to settle this... but only... when I'm... back in fighting form."

Vaughn grinned and clapped his hands together, "Consider it 'on'. In the meantime... I have an... a-maz-ing idea to keep you occupied all... day... long... tomorrow..."

Rhys looked at him with raised brows. "And that is..."

Vaughn looked incredibly self satisfied as he said, "Bunkers and Badasses: First Edition. We have a copy... And I have designed a killer dungeon that I would love to run you through."

Rhys looked tickled and fist pumped the air with his robotic hand. "Vaughn that sounds incredible. I will wreck the forces of evil."

Vaughn spread out his arms, "Who loves you?"

Rhys padded over and leaned down to squeeze him, "You do."

Vaughn replied firmly, "Always."

 


	16. By LED Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More nightmares. More conversation. More comfort.

It was dark in the room save for the glow of the clock and a few other small, scattered devices containing LEDs. They gave the room a perpetual eerie glow when the overhead light was put out. Rhys was having his recurring dream where he was in college, trying to register for classes that were full that he desperately needed in order to graduate on time. Also, he was naked. Technically, it was a nightmare, but when held up to the light against the nightmares he sometimes had it barely seemed to rate.

He opened his eyes and quickly scared the room. He was still in the remains of the Helios station. He was on his side under Vaughn's armpit, using the smaller man like a human body pillow. Vaughn was sleeping on his back, snoring deeply with arm around Rhys.

"You're okay," He murmured in the low voice that he used to try to use to reassure himself back at Atlas. "We're all good."

Vaughn stirred in his sleep and Rhys went very still. He did not want to wake him.

"we're all good." He whispered and closed his eyes again and drifted back to sleep.

Then he was back in Handsome Jack's office after the crash. He could smell the wreck as sure as though he were still standing there in it and had never left. The acrid smoke, full of metal, plastic, and chemicals felt oppressive in his lungs and was mingled with the smell of his own blood. The pain was there too. The pain in which no pleasure could be found. The pain of cables being ripped out of metal and flesh. The intensity of the emptiness of the socket once he had pulled his arm free. Then, inch by inch, fighting the urge pass out with every fiber of his being, he had pulled the wire out of his echo eye. Inch by inch. It felt sickening, but he had to make sure it was done.

This time he awoke to Vaughn shaking his shoulder and saying his full name out loud, including his detested middle name. He was breathing hard and holding tightly on to Vaughn. One of his long legs trapped both of the bandits underneath it and pressed down hard. As he remembered where he was he eased up his grip.

"Ow... thanks..." Vaughn said, moving his hand from Rhys' shoulder to his hair to pet him soothingly. "Calm down, honey," He said, sleepily. "You're safe."

Rhys heaved out a sigh and then took in another breath, "Yeah, I know."

Vaughn said softly, "Your heart's really going... what were you dreaming about?"

"After the crash... when I... went to make sure he was gone and he..." He struggled to find words that did not sound bizarre even to him, "... reinstalled himself... and I had to... remove him again."

Vaughn's index finger traced the circle of his temple data port before stroking behind his ear. "Do you... want to talk about it?"

Rhys sighed, "No, but... I need to."

Vaughn said, "Glad to hear you say that, my love. I'm listening."

Rhys said, "I passed out after I ... removed my data port and my eye. When I woke up I was... disappointed to have woken up. You know before LB put me in the escape pod... I was ready to die. I didn't _want_ to, but it would have been... sort of epic at least. I was at peace with the idea of going down with the ship, dying to take out Hyperion. But when I woke up... so broken. I was just so ... _pissed off_ to be alive. That's about all I remember after I woke up. Pain and shock and... disappointment that I was not dead. The only thing that kept me going was... knowing I had to try to find you. When that was gone... I was even more angry at being alive. I kind of hoped someone would kill me. I mean... its hard on this planet even with no disabilities... but I was _wrecked_ and managed to live. There was no joy in it. It was just... existing... and distracting myself."

Vaughn waited until he stopped speaking. "I'm glad... you kept going anyway. I... never would have gotten over you."

Rhys swallowed hard, "Same here. If I ever ... make you feel unimportant again. If I ever take you for granted... tell me and I'll make it up to you... and if... and if I do die..."

"Rhys," Vaughn tried to cut him off, but his lover kept talking.

"I need you to go on. Don't... become a monk or something. Go date someone else."

"If anyone dies it will probably be all of us, so don't worry about that right n-"

"Promise me." Rhys begged.

Vaughn scooted down on the bed so he could look at Rhys better and moved to his side. "I promise, okay. I hypothetically promise to hypothetically date other hypothetical people if you are hypothetically dead."

Rhys accepted that with a small succinct, "Good." He felt himself start to calm down, so he decided to add an addendum, "Just no one too good looking."

Vaughn snickered in response. "I'm not promising that. I mean... you're expecting me to go backwards from a lifestyle with which I have become accustomed." Then in a more sincere and less teasing tone, "I'm sorry you... had to think about any of this."

"I... need to. I know that now. I just wish it didn't... feel just like being there... It was so hard Vaughn..."

Vaughn said, "But you did it... you won. You beat him."

"Too much collateral damage." Rhys closed his eyes.

Vaughn said, "Yeah... well... I'm just as responsible for it as you. If we had just sat tight... let you be a janitor for a few days... Vasquez would have gotten that fake vault key and I'm sure his superiors would have had him spaced... you probably would have gotten your promotion and we'd still be Hyperion douchebags with ever more money and ever less morals. Do you ever think about that?"

"I have," Rhys replied.

"I think... it would have killed me... what we were doing. Just that damn Eridium deal... it weighed on me. Every time we got closer to your promotion I found I could sleep less. It's all moot now and it _still_ weighs on me. You know that wouldn't have been the last thing we'd have had to do. We were only just _beginning_ to sell our souls."

"Yeah..." Rhys agreed, "Without a doubt."

"I still want... money. Kinda don't want to spend the remainder of my life like _this_... But I want to have it in a away where I can still look at myself in a mirror... and I want that for you, too. You're a good person. It's why you never betrayed me... and why you didn't take Jack's deal. You always cared about me... and Yvette... and you cared about Sasha and Fiona even though we barely knew them and they tried to screw us. Advancing in Hyperion would have killed you too... by inches. It would have hollowed you out inside and left you like Jack."

Rhys listened to him carefully. "Yeah. I guess... everything happens for a reason... or at least... things happen like they happen... and we try to attribute reason to it later... but I really do feel better for talking to you about this stuff. I'm kicking myself for not doing this earlier."

"I am really glad to hear you say that... You'd be much more comfortable right now if you had."

Rhys said with drowsy ruefulness, "Yeah."

Vaughn leaned in close and kissed the corner of his mouth, "Hey... do you need some... attention? A BJ or anything to help you get back to sleep?"

"Nah. I'm fine..." Rhys said as his eyes grew heavy again.

"Lay on your stomach, I'll pet your back until you sleep, at least," Vaughn offered.

Rhys shifted onto his stomach and pulled his pillow under his head. "Kay. Then you'll sleep too?"

Vaughn scooted closer, but did not spoon him to avoid accidentally hurting him. "Definitely." After adjusting the blanket to fully cover them both he set about rubbing his hand over Rhys' back.

Rhys made a happy, sleepy little sound and his shoulders relaxed. When he lost consciousness again it was to enter a dreamless sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing dialogue for these guys.


	17. A Breif Parting

The next day passed fairly pleasantly. Rhys and Vaughn spent the majority of the day sequestered together in their room. They had played several hours of Bunkers and Badasses and the dice were in Rhys' favor. Vaughn was a fairly ruthless bunker master and took usually satisfaction from killing his players characters to the point that  Rhys was surprised that he had survived the final boss fight.

After that they had had a leisurely supper and talked at length about Rhys' plans for Atlas as a company, along with his ideas and work on a number of projects. Vaughn happily provided his feedback and insights on how things should be run, especially pertaining to the financial matters that were his bread and butter. They turned in early.

Rhys rose unexpectedly in the middle of the night with the need to use the bathroom. He groaned inwardly at the thought of having to put on more clothing. Some day, he promised himself mentally, he would have a gorgeous en suite bathroom with a waterfall shower and cavernous soaking tub. Truth to be told, even the Atlas facility was better then Helios, but he could endure anything for a time.

Vaughn was sleeping soundly near the far edge of the bed, closer to the door.

Rhys had taken to making sure he slept on the inner side, so it was easier to check the room for danger when he woke up.

Rhys put on his pants, undershirt, and shoes and left it at that. After using the bathroom he decided that he was too awake to go immediately back to his bedroom. He wandered down to the central command center. It was dark outside and no one was presently about, so Rhys found himself a terminal he could use while standing and started pulling files.

His curiosity could no longer be held at bay and he pulled up every file he could on himself. The regret of doing this sunk in nigh immediately but he could not stop himself from going through with it. Upper management had put together quite a file on himself and Vaughn after their theft of the ten million dollars. It made him vastly uncomfortable to know how much they were able to find out about him in such a short span of time. It was even worse that there were memos that referred to him like he was something more akin to a slab of meat then a human being.

So absorbed was he that when a hand came from seemingly no where to rest on his shoulder, he burst out with a scream of surprise and flailed his metal arm out while turning and punched Fiona square in her breast.

Fiona was not expecting the violence of the reaction and took a step back, shouting, "OWWW!" One of her hands held a bottle of liquor that she managed not to drop. The other flew to cover her chest as though that might help the pain of being punched by a metal hand.

"Oh my God. Fi...Fiona... I am so sorry..." Rhys held up both hands, as though she had a gun on him. "You can't sneak up on me."

Fiona's expression was pained and more then a bit livid but only for a few more moments. She dropped her hand from her chest and waited a moment before replying, "That... really hurt."

"I'm _really_ sorry. I'm... way to paranoid to sneak up on. Please don't be mad." Rhys backed up, just in case.

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you... don't... run away, I'm not going to punch you." She held out the bottle. "But damn... Rhys. Just... take a drink and chill out."

Rhys moved closer and reached out to take the bottle. He sniffed it, "I see you've met Greg." He took a swig.

"Yup. He's all right." She took the bottle back from him and also took a drink. "What are you working on?" She leaned into look at his monitor now that he was not attending it.

"Ugh... It's... files Hyperion had on me..." His hand shot out and he pressed a key, clearing the screen. "It's ... not important. I just got morbidly curious. Why aren't _you_ sleeping?"

She seemed a bit annoyed at his shutting down her snooping. She took, took a drink and passed the bottle back to him. "I got an echo message from Felix."

Rhys took the bottle by the neck and frowned, "Oh... man... What... does he have to say?"

Fiona folded her arms and frowned, "He wants to talk. Said he'd help us with the Vault. I'm going to meet him tomorrow."

Rhys drank a gulp of the liquor and set the bottle down on the console, "He's coming here?"

"No," She frowned, "He wants to arrange a meeting point."

Rhys suggested, "I can go with you."

Fiona shook her head, "I talked to LB. He'll take me."

"If you change your mind let me know... So... how are you... feeling... about this?"

Fiona shook her head and picked the bottle up, drinking more, "I don't know what to feel. He raised me... He's all I ever had that was close to a father... but after what he did..."

Rhys nodded, "Yeah... but I suppose its good to go talk to him and at least... see what he has to say for himself."

"I'm going to... I don't think I really thought that there'd ever come a time when I'd not trust him. I thought we were family and it was different with us even if he was a thief and a con man. I never imagined I'd trust a couple ex-Hyperions more then him... though I'm rethinking that with how much my boob hurts."

"Yeah... still sorry about that. He might have reasons. Just... give him a chance. At least this way, you'll more likely know one way or the other what to really feel." She trusted him! It made him irrationally happy, but he had no desire to make a thing out of it so he did not mention that.

She passed Rhys back the bottle again, "Do you have family, Rhys?"

Rhys made a sour face, "I don't ... really talk to them. My father is a distant scumbag who I haven't talked to in over five years and my mother is a neurotic psycho." He drank more to help remind him not to think about his parents for a few more years.

Fiona could not suppress an amused look and commenting, "So the drakefruit doesn't fall too far from the..."

"Oh shut up. I'll punch you in your other boob." He made a fist with his silver hand.

She laughed, "Just try it." She reached out and took the bottle back from him.

He felt remarkably tipsy already. His tolerance had declined with the absence of availability of alcohol and he never took that much to get drunk anyway. "I'm smarter then that... just make sure to be careful. Just in case... I don't know... just be careful."

"I will... I'm always careful," Fiona replied.

Rhys laughed loudly and with obviously implied sarcasm.

"More careful then you," she said in rejoinder.

"I'm just saying you should aim higher." He shook his head with his lips pulled up into one of his goofier grins.

After taking another swallow she handed the liquor back to Rhys. "You too. You should really learn to shoot... and start carrying something."

Rhys shrugged, "Maybe. I'd probably shoot myself in the foot."

"You're on Pandora. Getting shot in the foot can be a good day... a better day then getting eaten by spiderants... Vaughn still pissed off at you?"

Rhys shook his head before taking another drink, "No. We're all good. He's... amazing... basically the best boyfriend ever... well he's the only boyfriend I've ever had but best... partner. Other then the fight the other day... I've actually been taking your advice about letting him," He shrugged his shoulders, "Take care of me... It's been working, so thanks for that."

Fiona started to reply but was interrupted by the sound of Rhys' incoming call.

He turned up his palm display and heard Vaughn's tired and slightly panicked voice, "Rhys? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. Up in central command with Fiona. I was up and she wanted to talk."

Vaughn yawned loudly, "Okay... just... checking to be sure."

"Go back to sleep. I'm inside." Rhys insisted.

"Okay..." Vaughn sounded content with that. "Night."

"Night." The call disconnected and Rhys chuckled, dropping his hand "I should have probably left him a note."

Fiona yawned as well, "Well... hell. I should try to sleep as well and stop drinking this stuff so I can deal with travel."

Rhys sighed, "yeah... and I should ... try to sleep as well. Looking at these files isn't... it'll probably just bug me too much."

"Come on." She said and took his arm to walk back towards their respective rooms.

"You send me a message if you run into any trouble... and like... set us a time that if you're not back by that we should worry," Rhys said.

"I will... before I leave... and you... try not to scream like a girl and punch anyone in the breast while I'm gone."

"If they don't sneak up on me in the middle of the night I can _probably_ do that."

When they got to the hall where their paths diverged Fiona gave him a hug. "Thanks, Rhys, for talking with me."

He hugged her back, keeping his hands high up on her back. "Any time."

"Goodnight." She smiled and moved to turn away..

"Wait..." He said as he stepped back from the embrace. "I know you didn't trust Vaughn and I fully before.... but you said you do now. Thank you for that. I trust you, too. Is that why you willingly hug me now?"

She smirked and said, "I thought you were a creep, Rhys... I just didn't want you getting handsy with me and my sister. You have no idea what its like to be a good looking couple of girls on Pandora. The skeevy garbage we've had to endure."

Rhys said, "Yeah... I can't imagine. The being a woman part... having to deal with men being... obnoxious. I don't know what that's like. I totally know what its like to be good looking... because I am. I didn't have to be a creep, for the record, to get dates."

Fiona chuckled and put out her fist, "Go sleep. I'll see you when I get back."

Rhys said happily as he fist bumped her back, "Good night." He then weaved his way back to room. Vaughn was asleep again so he quietly climbed into the bed to fall into a boozy sleep.

 


	18. Group Therapy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yvette convenes the support group.

The next morning Rhys woke up a bit late, but not too badly hung over. He had missed breakfast, though he was not really hungry. Vaughn did not leave breakfast for him, which was good because then he would have felt compelled to eat it.

He made his way down to his preferred terminal to work. Sitting down was still a painful proposition, but he was able to do so without giving too much of a reaction.

A little work was done on some Atlas projects before he grew too preoccupied to do anything more then stare at the screen and think a series of disconnected, anxious thoughts. He wished he had insisted on going with Fiona. She was a native Pandoran and far more equipped to survive out there then he was, but he nonetheless felt a brotherly sense of worry. Though he had told her to be open minded about Felix, he was filled with doubt.

Yvette found him a while before lunch and insisted he join her to talk to some people she had gathered up. It was, as Rhys knew it would be, an unfathomably uncomfortable experience.

As soon as he walked in and saw the collection of women and men, nine in total, he felt trapped like an animal.

The way they looked at him made his skin crawl. Some looked at him with a sort of pity or understanding and others did it with a wide eyed reverence like he was some sort of messiah. It was only due to his promises to Yvette and Vaughn that he stayed to give it a try.

He learned early on that he was hardly the only person who had previously idolized their sociopathic boss. It was not clear to him immediately if this made him feel any better or any worse. Others among them spoke of their tremendous feelings of guilt for having done the sorts of things it took to advance at Hyperion. Others merely wanted to talk about dealing with awful things that had happened there.

A diminutive, middle aged woman sitting next to him told a particularly gruesome tale of being nearly choked to death by Jack that made Rhys feel weak and nauseous. Through all of it he fidgeted nervously when he was not folding up his arms in front of himself like an impenetrable barrier of closed posture.

When everyone else had said what they needed to say, Yvette turned towards him and asked, "Did you want to talk about anything, Rhys?"

Rhys puffed up his cheeks up with air and blew out a breath slowly. "Yeah..." He coughed to clear his throat, "The first time I met Handsome Jack... It was right after I got into management." He looked far above the head of the man across from him at the table. "I was on my way to a meeting. Sort of freaking out because I was still getting used to my role and wanted to be sure I had memorized my presentation. I saw him... Jack... coming in my direction and I stared at him a little. I was... star struck, I suppose you'd say." He smoothed his robotic hand over his hair, "As we were passing, he looked right at me and just... spat straight in my face. Instead of being angry... I felt... somehow honored by it. I was jealous of him. I wanted what he had. To be at the top with no one looking down over you. To just stomp people beneath you if they got in your way. It all seems so ... sick now."

Rhys unconsciously bounced his leg under the table and narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you guys know but... I put an AI version of Handsome Jack into my brain while... well it doesn't matter why. That's a... long... story." His eyes shifted up to the ceiling, "What matters is... I brought him with me back to Helios. So... I am... directly responsible for the death of every single one of _us_ that didn't make it off the station that day." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand, tilting his head down at the table, "And I have to live with that... forever... and I don't have any idea how... the hell I'm supposed to do that. But I'm _so_ sorry."

He propped his elbows on the table before him and cradled his face in his hands.

He could feel Yvette patting his back. "Thank you for sharing that, Rhys," she said.

On his other side, the short woman was rubbing her hand against the back of his suit jacket. A few of the people present thanked him as well for speaking. No one offered any critique or judgment.

Rhys exhaled trying to push every last bit of breath out of his body. Then he filled his lungs with air to capacity before lifting his face. "Thank you guys," was all he could get out.

Yvette sounded protective as she said, "Alright... thanks, everybody. I think we're going to wrap this up for today."

Rhys stood to hopefully slip out and finish gaining his composure, but was accosted by the well meaning group of near strangers, who insisted on hugging him or shaking his hand while muttering to him little snippets of wisdom about 'taking life one day at a time' or 'focusing on the positive'.

When they were left alone in the room Rhys squeezed Yvette fiercely in his arms and wept quietly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was part of a longer, smuttier chapter but it didn't really go well together, so I'm just posting it as a short little angst ball. Pow.


	19. All Tied Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The part where they finally get to play with the ropes.

A few hours after dinner Rhys was laying in bed in his undershorts and socks. One leg was crossed casually over the other. As he waited for Vaughn to come in for the evening, he surfed idly through files on his palm display. His mood was buoyant and he was growing ever more impatient for his partner's return.

When Vaughn came in he flashed Rhys a particularly wry smile and said, "How are you feeling?" He drew out the word last word in an almost sing song fashion.

Rhys knew this look. It was usually in effect when Vaughn was in a fantastic mood and geeking out over something. This drew his curiosity. He powered down the palm display before making a seductive display of himself by leaning on one elbow and putting the other hand on his hip. He said, affecting his low and breathy sensual voice, "I'm excellent. How are you?"

There was a twinkle in Vaughn's eye that Rhys definitely liked the look of. "I'm good. I was thinking if you're up for it, we might try something with all that rope..."

Rhys felt a surge of excitement as he got to his feet. "Oh, I'm up for it. Totally up."

Vaughn said, "Great... then if you don't need to use the bathroom or anything... go ahead and strip. I have _plans_."

Rhys chuckled and said, "Rawwwwr. I _like_ that. All business, no preamble." He slid off his socks and then slid his silky boxers down his hips and stepped out of them. He used one foot to pick them up off the floor so he could put them in their proper place.

There was a bit of rummaging as Vaughn located the specific lengths of rope he was looking for. When he had found them, he said, "Come here."

Rhys could see the way Vaughn posed himself to try to make himself as tall as possible. It was absolutely adorable and kind of hilarious, but he managed to merely grin as he walked over.

It was not lost on Vaughn and he smirked back. "Spread your legs a bit," he said as he moved in front of Rhys with a long piece of rope. He slid it around the back of Rhys' neck and pulled it down until the ends seemed roughly even. He worked on making small knots in the front, joining the two ends together. Rhys watched in silence. Vaughn's heavy brows were drawn tight in concentration.

When Vaughn was done he took both the ends and crouched down, "Spread your legs a bit wider."

Rhys complied and Vaughn passed both the ends of the rope between his legs on either side of his genitals and drew it up the length of his back before sliding it under the collar.

"Still looking sore," Vaughn observed as he worked.

"Yeah. Still hurts," He replied, honestly.

"Good." Vaughn said before going quiet to focus. He wound some of the rope around Rhys in a crisscrossing pattern woven through the initial knots at his chest, hips and waist. Vaughn finished by tying the ends off around the front of his stomach. Rhys looked down at the rope harness that stood out indigo against his pale, white skin. Even without any attention paid directly to his cock he was standing at attention.

"Lay on the bed on your back," Vaughn ordered.

"Yes, Sir." Rhys said in a low purr of a voice. He climbed onto the bed carefully, excited by the feel of the rope on him. He laid on his back, close to the center of the bed. The ropes put a delicious pressure on his ass where they crossed over his skin. It felt good.

Vaughn retrieved two more lengths of rope. He took Rhys' silver wrist and bound it carefully. He pulled the arm up so the hand was pointing at the far corner of the bed. He then crouched down to secure it around the underside of the bed. That done, he moved around and repeated it, more carefully, with the other hand.

Rhys laughed a little bit, nervously, "Well... That's..." He tested out the restraints to see how much room he had. He had enough slack for safety and circulation, but not enough that he could really move much. "...Certainly something."

When he was done Vaughn looked down to observe his work, taking it in with a critical eye, like he was admiring fine art. "You just lay back and relax." With that he turned away and started to undress. He quickly stripped his short, muscular frame naked. However, he took his time washing up going so far to trim his beard and brush out his hair.

Rhys was left alone, engorged and woefully unattended as Vaughn took his sweet time "Uh... so... hi?" He tried to gain Vaughn's attention, growing frustrated.

"Don't be so impatient, " Vaughn chided mildly. When he came back to the bed he brought the hand mirror and tilted it each way so Rhys could see himself bound, albeit lightly, in the colorful ropes. "You look _fantastic_."

Rhys bit his lip as he looked himself over and eventually agreed, "I do... Thank you, sir."

"So here's what we're going to do..." Vaughn set the mirror aside on the end table and loomed over Rhys, "In a moment, you're not going to be able to speak." He climbed onto the bed.

Rhys' brows arched.

"If you feel uncomfortable, or in pain... or experience any numbness, you're going to signal me with two fingers on your hand like this." He demonstrated, holding his hand up before Rhys' face.

"Yes, Sir." Rhys' eyes were wide with excitement and nerves.

"I mean it. I have a knife on the night stand and I can cut you out quickly if needed. So you signal me if anything doesn't feel right... you can't breathe... or you just need to stop. Any reason is fine. Literally any reason."

"I promise, I will, Sir." He nodded in firm confirmation of his understanding.

"Good," Vaughn said locking eyes with his captive, "because I am going to fuck your gorgeous mouth."

Rhys' lips parted and he breathed out, "Yes Sir... _Please_... anything for you."

Vaughn dropped down on all fours and kissed him roughly; sucking Rhys' lower lip between his teeth and biting down on it hard enough to hurt and pulling just slightly. Settling back on his knees, he looked down at Rhys with hungry eyes. Fingers reached out to touch Rhys' cheek and rub small circles on his smooth face. Then he rested his palm there, before pulling back and delivering a sharp little slap to Rhys' face. "Open those lips."

Part of Rhys wanted to be affronted by the slap, but shame burned on his cheeks for being so in to it. His lips parted and he waited to please his lover.

Vaughn climbed over him with his knees on either side of Rhys' head. He balanced there carefully using his hand to guide his erection into the waiting mouth. His legs lay across Rhys' bound arms.

Rhys licked his parted lips before he took Vaughn's rigid length into his mouth. He was surprised when suddenly Vaughn's hand was in his hair, tightening and pulling to make him take more of the organ into his mouth. Rhys' every drive became fixated on serving.

Vaughn's breath came harder and faster as he started to fuck Rhys' glorious mouth. He was clearly enjoying himself, but never was he so lost to pleasure that he failed to keep a watchful eye on Rhys' hands and eyes.

Rhys was enchanted by the abasement and worked at swallowing him as though he were made solely for such purpose.

Eventually Vaughn decided he had had enough. He carefully pulled himself free from Rhys' lips and rose from the bed. Rhys' prone form was given a throughout look over. Satisfied he was not doing him any damage, he went to grab the lube and a towel. "Do you love this?"

"Yes, Sir, Very much, sir," Rhys looked up at him. He loved the way Vaughn's hair looked when it was down and a little messy.

"Good... You're going to stay put there, and I'm going to ride you." He poured some lubricant onto his palm and set it aside so he could use that hand to grip Rhys by his rope-framed shaft and slather the cold, wet substance all over it.

"Oh god..." Rhys had been aching to be touched and he closed his eyes at the slick friction.

"Don't you dare come until I tell you can," Vaughn warned.

"YES SIR," Rhys hard himself shouting in spite of their being no need to.

"Good." Vaughn murmured softly. He climbed up on the bed and stepped over Rhys before straddling him, face to face. Once kneeling, he reached behind himself to insert a few lubed fingers into himself to prepare for mounting his lover.

Rhys watched his face, finding that Vaughn's expression made him ache with need. He shivered in anticipation.

At long last Vaughn grabbed Rhys' slick cock and guided it into himself, slowly and carefully. The more pressure he applied with his hips as he sank down onto Rhys' sex, the harder it pushed his bruised backside into the mattress.

Rhys cried out in pleasure as his wet sex became enveloped in hot flesh. It had been such a long time since he was inside someone he had almost forgotten how magnificent it felt. He pulled at the bonds before being reminded of their presence. Along with the pain it only served to heighten his arousal.

Vaughn was making a most delightful purr of pleasure as well. "Oh... Damn," He breathed. "It's... been a while." He chuckled, which gradually turned into more of a groan. He spent a moment resting there, getting used to the feel of Rhys' sex completely buried inside of him. Swallowing hard, he eased himself up a bit and then back down to take in the whole of Rhys' cock. The bandit left one hand free to balance on Rhys's chest while the other wrapped tightly around his own cock and started to work it.

Rhys watched Vaughn's every erotic movement as he rode him all the while drowning in the pleasures he was giving and providing. The bandit was taking it on himself to do all the work. Every time he bounced down hard it brought a jolt of pleasure and pain. He thrilled to the way Vaughn's hair started to stick to his face as he began to sweat with the effort of his exertions.

Rhys had to bite his lip savagely to try to stop himself from going over the edge and coming without permission. His breathing came faster and harder. "Oh god... oh god... Vaughn..."

Vaughn's voice sounded rough, "Hold on." Rhys could tell he was close. He tried to push up as Vaughn's body slammed down to meet him. Their bodies moved together for a series of hard, pounding thrusts before Vaughn spilled his load onto Rhys' stomach with a throaty cry of ecstasy. He didn't stop riding Rhys even as he came. He whispered a command once his voice was his own again, "Come for me, baby."

It only took a few more frantic thrusts before Rhys was hit with waves of pleasure as he climaxed inside his lover. His eyes rolled back up into his head and he sobbed in pleasure.

Vaughn gradually slowed his movements once they were both finished. Both men breathed hard and Vaughn leaned forward to kiss the other man's chest. Then he grabbed the towel and climbed up off of Rhys. He left him tied and blissful while he swiftly worked at cleaning up the mess.

There was an abrupt banging on the door. "Hey. I'm back." Fiona called through the door. "We need to talk."

Vaughn and Rhys looked to each other with wide eyes, frozen like they had been caught doing something they should not be doing. Then Rhys started laughing madly while Vaughn shouted, "Don't come in! We... uh... we need... some time."

Fiona said, "I don't want to know! I'm Going to go back to my room... Just... meet me there."

Vaughn started chuckling as Rhys' laughter became more hysterical.

"Ah... Okay," was all Vaughn could shout in reply before giving up to hopeless laughter.

 


	20. Details and Dollars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gents meet with Fiona to find out how her trip went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, spoilers through Chapter 5 of TFTBL.

Vaughn untied both of the ropes holding Rhys' arms from the underside of the bed. After climbing back onto the mattress, he lifted the left hand and took a long moment to massage the skin delicately once the rope was laid aside. He raised it to his lips and kissed the slight indentation left in the skin. He then laid Rhys' hand down and removed the rope from the other one as well.

Rhys looked up at him with a charmingly foolish grin on his lips. Silence seemed his best option as he still felt a bit too overwhelmed to say anything.

Vaughn smiled down and slid some fingers under the rope across Rhys' chest and gave it a light tug before hunching down to kiss that expression off of Rhys' face. It was a languid, wet kiss that trailed from his lips down to his chin before continuing along the jaw line. Then he nuzzled his nose and cheek against Rhys' ear.

It caused the CEO to laugh lowly, deep in his chest, "Aha ha ha!"

"Let's get this rope off," Vaughn hunched over and untied the ends of the harness before urging Rhys to stand so he could unwind all of it. Rhys was made to stand there still for a thorough examination of the points of contact between his skin and the rope. Vaughn gave him a pat on the behind, "Alright, you're free." Vaughn gathered up the rope and stashed it away for later cleaning.

Both men went about washing up and started to dress quietly.

Vaughn had finished brushing out his hair and was working at rearranging it back into its tidy bun when he finally broke the silence, "I hope its nothing serious... Or we're kind of dicks."

Rhys was tucking in his undershirt as he replied, "We're probably past kind of. We'll find out. Just leave your hair down... and I can go like this."

Vaughn raised a brow and squinted one eye while looking over at Rhys, "Hmmm. No. Put your shirt on. She probably doesn't want us swaggering into her room looking like we've just tumbled out of a post apocalyptic porno."

"I'd watch the hell out of that... We could call it 'Bound by the Bandit King.'" Rhys chuckled at the thought.

Vaughn smirked and said, "Sex videos always seem like a great idea... until they inevitably wind up for public consumption. We would like to some day be taken seriously."

Rhys grinned and then looked down at himself, "You're probably right." He went to grab his shirt and slide it over his spindly arms. "You know, we need a real mirror. Full length."

"That's not even the tip of the iceberg of the things we need here... but I am sure I can find something for you. Some day, we should get one of those mirrored ceilings for over the bed."

Rhys added, vehemently, "YES. And of those beds with the posts. You know, the sort you can anchor stuff too... Or people. Me, specifically." He buttoned up the shirt.

"I'm in... maybe by then I'll have figured out safe suspension."

Rhys gave the thumbs up and said "Yes, please," before tucking his shirt into his pants, "Where did you learn to do the rope work? Have you... done that before?"

Vaughn snatched Rhys' waistcoat and stood by to help him into it. "That was just for you... I did a lot of research and... Yvette was kind enough to let me practice _some_ things on her. I didn't want to look like an idiot... and some of that stuff is ...potentially dangerous."

Rhys squinted at him before snickering, "Most things that are fun are dangerous." He leaned down to rest his arms on Vaughn's shoulders. "Thank you for doing that for me. Your general invasion of my privacy for the past decade should probably be disturbing but its actually very endearing."

Vaughn made a pffffffffft sound with his lips as he buttoned up Rhys' vest, "Don't make me sound like a stalker. We always used each others computers. You knew what you were doing."

Rhys grinned enigmatically and wheedled, "You should come with me when I go raid the Atlas facility, my gorgeous, adventurous lover. There are showers... with hot water. It could be a good time."

Vaughn mused upon the idea, plainly tempted, "We'll... see. I'm reluctant to leave for too long... _but_ that does sound really awesome."

"And it's romantic... what with the glowy plants... tranquility... _Privacy_ ," Rhys said with his most seductive voice.

"We'll see." Vaughn grinned and brushed his hands down the front of the vest before fixing Rhys' collar. That done he bounced up on tip toes to give the other man a quick kiss. "We should go."

"You're sure... my hair is alright?" Rhys straightened and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes, come on." Vaughn opened the door to usher him out.

As they walked down the empty hall Rhys said, "Yvette ... got some people together to talk with me today... about Hyperion stuff."

"Yeah?" Vaughn looked up with an encouraging smile.

Rhys nodded and looked at the floor for a while as he walked, "Yeah. It was good... weird... and hard... but good. I'll do it again. Plus, everyone was really nice. Yvette especially."

Vaughn said , "I'm glad you did it... if you ever want me to come I can... but if that's the sort of thing you'd rather not have me around for I get that too."

"Thanks," the taller man smiled.

Vaughn continued, "and so you know, I've already claimed Yvette as my best... woman. Maiden of Bestness... for the wedding."

Rhys said, "Best Person? Hmmm. Well now I have to find someone since obviously you can't be my best man... Which I had always assumed you would be. I think I'll ask Fiona."

Vaughn nodded, "Good choice. I think at this point its safe to say she likes us."

When they finally made it to her door, Rhys knocked.

Fiona called out, "Come in."

They stepped inside Fiona's small room. She was sitting on the edge of her bed with a conspicuous burlap sack slumped at her side. The expression on her face was unreadable.

Rhys glanced momentarily at the sack before saying, casually, "What's going on, Fi? Is Felix here?"

"No... he's not." Fiona gestured vaguely to the bed and chair, "You can sit if you want..." Vaughn sat a ways down from her on her bed, leaving Rhys to sit in the room's only chair.

Vaughn sat down before looking a bit sheepish and said, "Oh... you... _did_ want me too... right? not just..." He gestured at Rhys.

Fiona rolled her eyes as though the question annoyed her and said, "Yes, you too, Vaughn. Ok... So... Felix isn't coming. Before I go into... detail... This is for you two." She handed the sack to Vaughn, who took it with a look of confusion and opened it up to stare inside. Rhys leaned forward, brows lifting in curiosity.

Vaughn's mouth fell open and he lifted up the bag up and looked inside it. He sputtered, "How the.... where did you... this is... what... four million?"

"4.5 million," Fiona corrected, leaning back on her hands and crossing one leg over the other.

Rhys blinked and looked from one to the other, "What...?" Then he laughed, as though it were surely a joke. " Wait... are you serious?"

"How?" Vaughn asked, bewildered. Rhys got up to peek into the sack.

"Felix..." Fiona smiled wanly, "He didn't come in person... I talked to him on an Echo Com. When he realized Vallory was involved in the vault key deal, he thought he had to switch the con up to protect us. He opened your little bomb case with no trouble and swapped out the money into the dresser... which... fell into the desert when the back of the caravan got destroyed. The money was just sitting there the whole time... most of it. He took a million off the top. And well... you both stole it in the first place. I figured, it was only right that I give you guys half."

Rhys was speechless, with wide eyes and parted lips. His gaze shifted from the green of the money in the case to Fiona's green eyes.

Vaughn put his arms out to hug her, but paused before doing so, "Can I hug you? Because I _really_ want to hug you."

Fiona laughed, "Yes. You can."

Vaughn hugged her so hard he knocked her hat off. "Thank you _so_ much. This is _incredible_."

Rhys threw his arms around them both, tackling everyone into the bed.

Fiona groaned as she was crushed by Rhys and smashed against Vaughn, "Regretting... it already... Get off me."

Rhys let them go and straightened to pace maddeningly in the small space. "This changes everything..." He turned and pointed at Fiona with the silver hand. "You _love_ us," he proclaimed with cheerfully accusatory air.

Fiona raised a brow as she and Vaughn awkwardly sat up, "you think so, eh?" She reached for her hat and placed it back on her head.

Vaughn reached into the bag to take out a precise stack of bills and fondle it, looking a bit in shock.

Rhys gloated, "Yes. I do in fact think so. You willingly returned with 9 million dollars... and you're giving us an equal amount. If that's not love I'm not sure what it is."

Fiona grimaced, "A temporary lapse of reason?"

"We love you, too," Vaughn said, though he was unable to stop looking at the money. "I... don't even know what to say, Fi."

Rhys' chest was now puffed up with excitement and he looked like a gangling bird. He loomed tall over the seated pair and put out his hands to gesture wildly as he spoke, "If Vaughn and I can do the things with this money that I am _certain_ we can do, I'll pay you back later... because this. This is... the _nicest_ thing anyone's _ever_ done for us."

Fiona did not seem to know what to do with either of those sentiments. "It was just the ... right thing to do." She added hastily, "I don't know," and shrugged as though to downplay her involvement in the whole matter.

Rhys grinned lopsidedly, "Since when is a con woman interested in doing the right thing?"

Fiona shrugged again, her green eyes flashing with a pleasure that she was trying not to show, "There's such a thing as honor among thieves."

Vaughn reluctantly returned the stack of bills to the bag before beaming a smile at Fiona, "No no no. We stopped being mere co-conspirators long ago. We're officially family now. A crime family, maybe... but family. Is... Sasha going to be okay with this?"

Fiona nodded and chuckled, "Yeah. She's fine with it. We still have more then enough money to do whatever we need to do. So as family... we split everything. This money and the vault."

Rhys sat at Fiona's other side. "Fiona... would you be my Lady Bro of Honor at our wedding?"

Vaughn winced at Rhys words, "We're still work shopping the title."

Fiona looked blank for a moment, before giving a half laugh, then realizing he was serious, "You want me to be your Maid of Honor?"

Rhys nodded, "If you would... I would be... honored and ... stuff."

Fiona didn't take long at all to think about it, "Well... Hell Rhys... sure! I'm... honored and... whatever, too." She added hastily, "but I'm not wearing any stupid dress."

Rhys smirked, "That will make two of us. No dresses are required... and thank you."

Vaughn stood up and picked up the money, declaring "I'm going to go lock this up... and find booze. We need to celebrate."

Fiona said, "Good idea... We'll be here."

Rhys waved to Vaughn as he made his way out and then eyed Fiona, "So then... Felix... did he just... take off?"

Fiona frowned a little, "Seems like... He didn't really give me a lot of time to talk to him. I still have so many questions. He told me he didn't come in person because he thought I might shoot him. I didn't shoot him when I had the chance... and I could have. I wouldn't have done it now."

Rhys pursed his lips, "I'm sorry... that... it worked out like that. I mean I know... that... many millions... is great... but... I also know how much it sucks when your father... type person... takes off. Doesn't really matter how old you are."

Fiona said, "Yeah, well, its his loss, right? He said wanted us to be free of this life if we wanted to. And you never know. Maybe some day we'll run into each other again out there somewhere."

Rhys nodded, "Yeah... So... you're going to be okay? I mean at least he didn't actually betray you guys. That's... good... that he was still looking out for you."

Fiona nodded in return, "Yeah." She abruptly changed the subject, "So you guys are getting married... already, eh? You move fast."

Rhys shrugged his shoulders and said, "We've effectively been together for years. I've always loved him. It's not like we need to date for years to figure out if we're compatible."

"Well good. I think its sweet." Fiona said. "Sorry about interrupting."

"You could interrupt anything with 4.5 million dollars." He nudged the subject away from that topic, "Have you ever... been in love before?"

Fiona tilted her head to one side slightly and said, "Honestly? No. I've dated guys... but never really. Only as part of a con. There's not a lot of opportunity for romance when you're out there scamming... and really... I'm not sure if I want to. Hey... before Vaughn comes back with alcohol and we get stupid... I wanted to check with you... I was thinking... we should invite Janey, Athena and Zer0 out to help us. How does that sit with you."

Rhys nodded, "Yeah... I think that's a good team. As long as you're sure Athena won't punch my face in for not telling her about Jack. He ... convinced me she'd have killed me at the time if I told her... aaaaand if she's not going to murder me for now running Atlas..."

"She won't," Fiona reassured before adding with less confidence, "Probably... Preventing you from being murdered is probably part of Maid of Honor duties."

"Then I guess we have ourselves a Vault hunting team." Rhys said before they shook on it to make it extra official.

When Vaughn returned he was bearing a bottle of Vodka scrounged up from somewhere. They spent the rest of the evening doing too many shots, laughing too loud, and telling the sorts of stories one generally regrets telling when again amongst the sober. They didn't so much go to bed as pass out in a contorted pile in Fiona's relatively small bed.

 


	21. Hungover and Heartbroken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hangovers are a bitch.

Rhys awoke with a thunderous headache and the feeling in the pit of his stomach that he might throw up. Sleep held sort of paralysis over him and it took him a force of effort just to open his eyelids and squint against the light of the room.

His eyelids open and shut several times to try to clear the hazy film that appeared to be over them. The robotic arm was underneath him and he was laying his head on it like the world's least comfortable pillow. The other arm was resting on Vaughn. He had a bit of morning wood, somehow, in spite of the copious amounts of vodka he had drunk the night before, so he lazily pushed his hips up against Vaughn's ass to jostle the other man awake. The only problem was that it wasn't Vaughn, which he would only fully realize a moment later. He was spooning Fiona.

Vaughn, his eyes finally registered, was laying front to front with Fiona, his bearded face pressed square into the window to her cleavage. One of her hands was thrown over his head, cradling it there. They were both still out cold.

"Shhhhh...fuck." He peeled his face up off of his arm and the skin half clung to it, leaving an impression of the lines of the appendage temporarily marked on his cheek. He scooted back from Fiona before she could wake up and murder him. Luckily, he discovered he still had his pants on. Unluckily, he scooted too far and fell off the side of the bed.

"AHHHWWWKK!" He exclaimed involuntarily as he hit the ground hard and laid there moaning for a moment. He mentally encouraged himself: _Don't Throw up. Don't throw up. Don't throw up._

He could hear Fiona make a sound, "Whuh?" Then there was feminine shout of confusion and a sound of someone slapping someone else several times in a short span of time. Then in the gap under the bed, Rhys could see Vaughn tumble onto the floor as he was shoved off of the mattress. He groaned.

Vaughn looked at him from under the bed in confusion, as though he wasn't sure why he was on the floor much less why Rhys was.

Rhys started laughing for a moment until he realized how much it hurt his head. He closed his eyes and possibly lost consciousness again. When they opened again Vaughn was trying to pull him to his feet. "Come on."

Somehow they managed to get to the bathroom before Rhys threw up. He would later remember Vaughn holding him by his hair, as he had too many times before as he threw up into a waste bin.

When back in their own room, Vaughn sat him on the bed propped up against the wall and brought him a mug of water before getting one for himself.

"I... haven't... been that drunk in... a long time. I think I still am." Vaughn said, sinking down onto the edge of the bed.

Rhys sipped the water to get the taste out of his mouth and closed his Echo Eye because it sometimes had trouble controlling it properly when he felt this awful. "Never again," he promised, resting the mug on his thigh.

Vaughn looked exhausted with heavily lidded eyes opened just a slit, "That was a mistake..." He lifted his mug to press against his forehead. "Call Yvette... see if she'll send someone to bring us... something to put in our stomachs."

Rhys protested, "Can't... eat right now."

Vaughn said, "Fine... just... drink what you can."

Rhys swallowed more of the water before setting the mug aside and sliding down to a laying position, "Four point five million dollars. We're gonna get some shit done, Bro..."

Vaughn set his mug down as well after swallowing the contents and lay down on his side. He laid his head on one arm and reached out with the other to stroke Rhys' hair. “Yeah, we are.”

Rhys closed his other eye as his hair was stroked.

"Go on and get some more sleep, my love," Vaughn said gently and he easily complied.

*    *    *    *    *

Rhys woke up some time later locked in combat, though that did not seem to make sense. All he knew is that he was struggling with all his might, but his assailant had the better of him. He was forced on to his stomach and his arms were twisted behind him and pinned against the small of his back. The lights were out in the room. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and kicking out with his legs with all his power.

"Rhys," Vaughn said loudly, "Rhys, Please calm down, Babe. You're safe, but you need to calm down before I let you go..."

Rhys could not calm himself, "LET ME GO," he shrieked out, thrashing violently against being held.

Vaughn complied, but rolled out of bed immediately like Rhys was a bomb that could go off any second.

Rhys flipped over, arms flailing and sat up. It made him feel nauseous again. He raised his silver hand to use like a flashlight in the darkness and simultaneously guard his face from attack.

The light blinded both of them for a moment when Vaughn flicked on the light switch, but all too soon Rhys saw the blood oozing from the bandit's nose and split lip.

Rhys was engulfed in ice cold devastation. He dropped his hand, dismissing the light that was now superfluous.

Vaughn’s voice was firm, but loving, “Rhys. It’s okay.” Though a bit shaken up, he seemed collected and in control of the situation.

Rhys shook his head, “It’s not… It’s really not.” Both his flesh and metal hands raked into his hair and tightened, pulling at fistfulls of his hair and tugging at it hard enough to cause his scalp to ache. His breath was a fast pant.

Vaughn stretched out an arm in his direction with his palm up, “Just…do the deep breaths…” He then moved to the crate with the towels and snatched one out to hold it to his nose, tilting his face downward. “I really like your hair… please don’t pull it out.”

Rhys obediently released his chestnut hair  and lay his hands in his lap gingerly, like they were deadly weapons. His chin drooped down against his chest and he tried to deepen his breaths. The feeling was so terrible that tears would not even come, just a growing pain that lurked under the furious beating of his heart at having hurt the one he loved most.

Vaughn kept the cloth to his nose with one hand. “I think we both knew this could happen, Rhys… It’s okay. I wrestled you down easy. You just… got a shot in while I was sleeping.” He announced his intention, “I’m going to put an arm around you. Okay?”

Rhys nodded, silently. When Vaughn pulled him close he could feel the involuntary shaking of his own shoulders as he began to sob.

Vaughn murmured, “Hey… come on… It looks worse than it is. I can handle you.” He pulled the cloth from his nose to try to determine if he was still bleeding. He set the towel aside and pinched the bridge of his nose hard with his head forward while trying to comfort Rhys with his other arm.

Rhys struggled to pull himself together, but to no avail. He slumped against Vaughn’s shoulder in misery.

Vaughn took the cloth and dabbed under his nose again until it came away without fresh blood, “It’s fine, baby… Shhh shhh. It’s done bleeding. I don’t think It’s broken.” He wadded up the towel with one hand and tossed it off the bed before putting his other arm around Rhys. “This wasn’t your fault. You can’t help the things that are happening to you right now.”

Rhys shook hard, his arms clasped tightly around the other as he wept. Even that felt terrible. In all his life he never used to be this emotional, this unhinged. He hated his weakness and lack of control. In this moment, he hated himself.

Vaughn’s voice crooned soothingly into his ear, “I’m going to be here for you, through whatever. No matter what. I promise you that.” The bandit began to rock him back and forth, like a child.

Rhys burrowed his face into the other man’s neck as he heard him begin to sing another old song popular during their college years. It was a love song of the quiet, longing sort; full of promises of all the things the future might bring to lovers.

The troubled cyborg could feel the vibration of Vaughn’s chest against him as he sang. It was warm in the bandit’s arms. The combined effect of the sensations started to break through the terror and anguish that was ruling his consciousness. He sniffled, swallowed, and tried to stop himself from crying, because it was only serving to aggravate his terrible headache.

When Vaughn was finished singing, Rhys pulled back from him carefully and said with a rough voice, “Thank you.”

Vaughn reached out and ran his thumb under Rhys’ teary eyes, “Better?”

“Yeah… I’m…” Rhys sniffed, “Really sorry… I never want to hurt you again...”

“I know. You didn’t mean to do it. I know you just want to be better… you just want to be you as you were... “ Vaughn put one hand on each of Rhys’ shoulders, “But you need to be… realistic about the fact that it’s going to take time… and you might always struggle. That doesn’t matter to me. Rhys, light of my life, I am madly in love with you… and I can handle anything that happens. Even if it means once in awhile I get punched in the face in the night.”

Rhys raised a hand to scrub at his eyes more, “I love you too, Vaughn. Maybe… no drinking for a while.”

“Same here,” Vaughn agreed before gathering Rhys back up again to hold him until he was again breathing normally and the sniffles had stopped. He released him said, “You need to eat something… and I want to see if there’s something I can get for my head. Do you think you can go out or should I go get you something.”

Rhys looked horrified at the thought, “No!” he paused and said, more calmly, “Let me come… I just… can’t… be alone right now.” Rhys said as he pried himself up out of the bed to wash his face. He was still wearing his clothes. They were rumpled to hell but he really didn’t care.

Vaughn, too, never made it out of his clothing. He rose and followed Rhys, “Sure thing… we’ll get some food… find painkillers.” He said.

Rhys walked a little haltingly, like a baby deer getting used to its legs. He put his hands on the crate and took a moment to gather himself before wetting a cloth and washing his face. His breathing was deep and even now, by virtue of him focusing on it intently.

When his face was clean he tossed his rag into the bin and wet another one before wringing it out. He turned to Vaughn. “Come here. Let me… help.”

Vaughn stepped closer to him, looking up at him with his placid, blue eyes, as Rhys carefully dabbed the wet cloth at his split lip. His eyes closed and Rhys could tell it clearly hurt, swollen as it was.

When Rhys was done cleaning that wound, he shifted his attention to the bandits nose, dabbing away the traces of leftover blood as softly as he could.

“Thanks,” Vaughn smiled a little. “See, it’s okay… I am practically indestructible.” he winked. “I haven’t even gotten an opportunity to show you how good a shot I am.”

Rhys smiled a very small, unsure smile, “Yeah? I thought the Children of Helios didn’t like to use guns to resolve problems.”  

“They don’t,” Vaughn said, “but as you well know, spiderants and skags just plain don’t want to listen to reason.” He gave Rhys a firm pat on the ass as he moved by him.

“Show me then… when my head isn’t pounding… so I have yet another reason to be utterly in awe of you.”

Vaughn said, “It’s a date.”

*    *    *    *    *

Yvette ran into them in one of the lower hallways as they made their way towards the main kitchen. She was immediately concerned and rushed up to look at Vaughn, “What happened? Are you okay? You both look like hell,” She looked up at Rhys’ red rimmed eyes after examining Vaughn’s wounded face, holding it between her hands like a mother might.

Rhys confessed, brows knitting together, “I had… another panic... thing… and hit him in my sleep.”

Vaughn added, “Plus, we drank too much last night… We need food and… painkillers. If we still have any.”

Yvette, clucked her tongue and released Vaughn and in turn reached out hug Rhys, “I’m sorry you had an episode, Rhys. We’ll get you some food and some aspirin… Poor boys… I already set Fiona right earlier.”

Rhys squeezed her back. “Thanks, Yvette.”

She stepped back and gave them a sly look, “I hard about the Fiona sandwich.”

Vaughn blushed and looked off down the hallway with a grin, “Yeah… hah… boobs are super comfortable, it was a drunkenly honest mistake. She’s not mad, is she?”

Yvette laughed as she took Rhys by the hand and lead him along, “No, but damn… We’re trying to kill some scary ass Vault monster and not get killed… and you’re drinking like it's college all over again.”

Rhys said, “I am absolutely done drinking for a while… but we were celebrating that we got the uh… wedding party sorted out and… uh… Atlas is now flush with start up cash… and I’d like to make you a job offer.”

They explained the story on the way down to eat. A short while later they were seated at their customary table with food and some form of terrible tasting tea. It wasn’t coffee, but at least it had some caffeine. Pills had been doled out to the two men and Yvette had insisted on putting something on Vaughn’s lip that burned hard enough to make him wince before letting him eat.

Yvette sat across from them and leaned against the table. “So,” She said, “You want me to come work for you, Rhys. You’re sure about that?” She steepled her fingers and watched him as he slowly chewed a mouthful of food.

When he swallowed it, and washed it down with some liquid, Rhys said, “I do. All that’s… in the past now. And Atlas… it's not going to be Hyperion. We’re going to do things differently. Better.”

Yvette cocked her head to one side, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Vaughn interjected while rubbing his temple, “If he starts putting his face on everything and turns into a raging asshole, we’ll kick his ass.”

Rhys gestured to Vaughn, “See? Wait… I can’t put my face on everything? I’m kidding… I’m totally better looking then Jack was… and secure enough in it that I don’t need to do that.”

Vaughn raised his mug in salute, “I’ll drink to that.”

Rhys wasted no time in picking his mug up to clink it with Vaughn's.

Yvette lifted her hand and made the side to side ‘So So’ motion while saying, “Eeehhh,” but only to mess with Rhys.

The CEO responded, maturely, by flipping her off. “This is all contingent on seeing who survives the Traveler… but I’d like to have you with me… so consider the offer open…” He gave her a genuine smile.

Yvette said, “You know I can’t say no to you when you make that stupid face. By the way, if you have money… and we have this Janey Springs chick coming here, make sure you talk to her about getting us a Catch a Ride. That would help immensely. Fiona said she was coming out to help us and that she was the mechanic who built your rocket.”  

Vaughn said, “That is a fantastic idea,” before taking another bite of fruit.

Rhys nodded sagely, “That’s why I hired you… hey has anyone talked to LB now that we know who is coming? He’s been… really… really patient with us while we got all this stuff figured out… should only be a couple more days depending on how long it takes us to gather everyone up.”

Yvette said, “He’s out in the field. That robot loves pest control…”

Vaughn noted, “Well… yeah. I wouldn’t say we love it, but we’re making sure the field is clear of the charming local wildlife because the last thing we need dealing with the Traveller is an army of Rhys’ good friends, the spiderants, or rakks and skags.”

Rhys frowned at Vaughn but otherwise let the comment roll off his back. A little food, a little medicine, and good company meant he was feeling much improved.

Blunt as ever, Yvette asked, “You going to be ready in a couple days, Rhys?”

Rhys nodded, confidently, “Most of my problems stem from sleeping issues… and I’ve always functioned well on little sleep.”

Vaughn said, “I wouldn’t say well.”

Rhys restated, “I’ve always functioned _adequately_ on little sleep. Don’t you worry about me. I’ve _got_ this.”

Yvette grinned, “That’s going to be what gets etched on your tombstone.”

They all ended up laughing at that and no one harder than Rhys.


	22. Mirror, Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaughn proposes a plan for a diversion and gives Rhys a gift to try to lift his spirits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameful smut in 3, 2, 1...

When Rhys came back to the room he shared with Vaughn he found the other man sitting at the desk, reading. He immediately started to take off his jacket and long sleeved shirt, “Hey.”

Vaughn looked over at him and smiled a little, “Hey... how is your head feeling?” He marked his page and closed the book before rising.

“Much better. I think I’m basically back to normal.” He replied as he hung up his Jacket and put away his shirt.

Vaughn wandered close and pulled Rhys close to squeeze him tight. “Glad to hear it. I’m way better too.”

Rhys bent down so that he could kiss Vaughn on the lips without forcing him try to make himself taller. When he pulled away he said, “Vaughn… I was thinking…”

Vaughn‘s blue eyes took in the sadness in his fiancée's expression as he asked, “About what?”

“Maybe… you should... tie me up when I’m sleeping.” Rhys offered, though he looked away from the other’s eyes as he said the words.

Vaughn shook his head negatively and tried to shut him down with a definitive, “No.”

“But it…” Rhys protested as he looked down into Vaughn’s eyes.

Vaughn talked over him. “It’s not safe. I’m not going to risk hurting you just so that you don’t hurt me. You could lose circulation… you could fall out of the bed and crack your cybernetics ridden skull open. I can take you in a fight, sleeping or a awake.”

The cyborg CEO’s mismatched eyes looked weary as his brow furrowed. This was usually when he would bluster back about how much he would kick Vaughn’s ass in a real fight. Instead he said,  “I don’t want to fight… I feel terrible that I hurt you.”

Vaughn said, “I know you do.” He reached out and unfastened Rhys’ belt and slid it out of the loops as he spoke, “That’s why I took the liberty of planning an outing for us.”

Rhys’ brows arched high, “An outing? What kind?” He just watched what Vaughn was doing without comment on it.

Vaughn let Rhys’ pants fall to the ground and he walked to one of the armless conference chairs and pulled it a couple feet away from the wall. “Sit.” He pointed at the chair.

The lanky man walked to the chair as well and settled into it. When he was seated, Vaughn straddled his legs and sat on them while facing him and rested his arms on Rhys’ shoulders.

“I talked to LB tonight.” Vaughn began, “He is as concerned about you as I am… and we all want you at your best… and since he’s waited this long…”

Rhys’ expression grew ever more curious as Vaughn spoke.

“So he is going to fly us out to Hollowpoint so we can pick up a truck from Janey Springs…  then the three of us are going to road trip it up to Atlas. We’ll Drive, he’ll fly. We’ll get the Quick Change machine and everything else you need and enjoy a couple days of hot showers and romantic glowing mushrooms while LB acts as our body guard.”

Rhys wanted to be excited but kept a lid on it, knowing how reluctant Vaughn was to leave before, “But what about Helios?”

Vaughn smiled and spoke reassuringly, “Yvette and Fiona can handle it. We’ll be able to Echo comm them to stay in touch and head back in a flash of there is any trouble. What do you think?”

“I really…. really love you. This sounds fun.” His encircled his arms around Vaughn’s back as he leaned forward to kiss him gently.

Vaughn slid one hand around to the back of Rhys’ neck for leverage. Their mouths opened and their tongues were entwined. Though he was the one with the injured lip, the shorter man pressed the kiss harder in spite of his own pain.

Rhys cupped Vaughn’s ass in his hands and gave it a hard squeeze.

Vaughn eventually broke the kiss so he could speak, “We're going to leave first thing tomorrow. So we need to get a lot of sleep tonight.”

Rhys made a pouting face as Vaughn pulled back. He squeezed his backside again and ground the beginnings of his erection up against the smaller man's muscular ass.

Vaughn lifted an arm from Rhys’s shoulders to take a hold of him by his chin. “Since we have a few extra days… I am going to ask you a question. I need an honest answer. No lies. No half truths. No evasions. Understood?”

Rhys spent a rare moment regretting that Vaughn knew him so well. He  said quietly, “Yes, sir.” The other man's grip on his face was not uncomfortably tight, but he knew if he tried to resist it would become so.

Vaughn squinted and looked Rhys right in the eyes, “You know that I am not angry with you about you hitting me this morning, but I know that you are nonetheless miserable about it.”

Rhys frowned before nodding, “Yeah. I know, realistically… that it was an accident, but I still just feel like crap about it.”

“We can take care of it...” Vaughn’s eyes seemed so calm. It’s not that he assumed Vaughn really was so calm all the time. He knew him too well to make that mistake. It was the way that he was able to put it all aside when dealing with Rhys like this that was so comforting.  “But you need to tell me… is there something you need from me, my precious boy?”

Rhys could feel the pace of his heartbeat increasing as color rose to his face. “Y-yes,” he stuttered feebly, without elaborating. He kept eye contact nonetheless.

“What do you need, Rhys. You know you can tell me anything.”

“But you _know_.” Rhys replied, not wanting to say it out loud.

“Mmmmm hmmmmm. But you need to prove to me that you can ask for it when you need it so we don't have a repeat of your little escapade a few nights ago,” Vaughn gave him a dark look as he brought up the incident.

Rhys' adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, blushing more deeply. “I need you to… spank me, please, Sir.” His voice went up an octave by the end of the sentence.

Vaughn gave him a quick kiss on the lips before releasing his grip on Rhys’ chin. “Good boy. Now… we're going to be driving a long time. Do you want to take it when we get there or do you want me to punish you tonight? I know you seem to sleep better when I've spanked all the fight out of you, but we're going to be doing a lot of sitting since we will both be driving.”

Rhys thought about it with a frown before deciding, “Tonight, please… punish me tonight. it… would be stressful to postpone it.”

Vaughn kissed him between his eyes. “I am _so_ proud of you. I know that wasn't easy for you… opening up so much… but this is what _I_ need.”

Something inside Rhys needed that praise. He hid his face against Vaughn’s chest. “Thank you.”

Vaughn smiled softly, “You're welcome. Thank you, too.” He paused and then said, “So… I am going to give you a nice, hard spanking on your bare bottom so we can put all of this behind us... Then I’m going fuck you nice and hard and good until you are worn out… then put you to bed. How does that sound?”

Rhys whimpered with delight at the dirty talk, his cock hard underneath his lover's weight. “Incredible.”

Vaughn kissed him on the cheekbone, “I love how red your face gets.” He rose up from Rhys and offered him a hand up. “So embarrassed... I think you should go kneel with your nose in the corner. Hands on your head. You can leave the underclothes on.”

“Yes, sir,” Rhys had ambivalent feelings about the corner. It was embarrassing, juvenile, and uncomfortable. Yet, it did provide time to think in a way that was  structured. He walked to the corner and knelt down. His hands went obediently to his head and he waited while his cybernetic arm grew heavy as his heart. The waiting and thinking caused his erection to flag.

Vaughn was up to something behind him, though he tried not to think about it too much, trusting the other man only had his best interests at heart. Soon there would be pain and release. Vaughn would hurt him and then make it better and he would sleep.

“Rhys.” Vaughn said with a crisp commanding voice after several minutes, “Get up and come here.”

When he rose and turned he saw a new object had been placed in the room. He was not sure where it had been previously as he had not noticed it but it was now resting against the wall with one of those armless conference chairs sitting nearby it. The object in question  was a rectangular full length mirror. Vaughn already had the hairbrush in one hand as he stood there.  

“I got you a present,” Vaughn licked his lips, watching Rhys’ reaction.

Rhys said with a small smile, “Oh… Vaughn… thank you. I have a feeling we’re not using that for checking out how hot we are at this moment.”

Vaughn seated himself on the chair. “Sort of,” He pointed to the floor to his right side, “Come here.”

Rhys came around the bed from the side with his corner and stood looking down at Vaughn, flushed.

Vaughn reached his hands up to slide Rhys’ boxers down to his ankles. “I want to be able to see your face as I punish you… and I want you to see it as well.”

Rhys raised both brows ridiculously high and said only, “Oh…” His flaccid cock twitched to life at the thought.

Vaughn slapped his own thigh with the brush, “You know the drill. Bend over.”

  
Rhys bent down across his knees and braced his hands on the floor. As his head lifted he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was still looking better than it had any right to. His eyes were clear but troubled. His shoulders were tensed. He looked up past his shoulder to see Vaughn’s eyes meeting his in the mirror.

The bandit laid a hand on Rhys’ shoulders to keep him held down and shifted his gaze to Rhys’ backside. There were still defined lines of bruising from that terrible antenna. He set the brush on Rhys’ back so he could touch the marks. “Does it still hurt you much?”

Rhys closed his eyes so he didn’t have to look at himself for a bit, “I feel it… when I sit. But it's … not too bad.”

Vaughn hummed, “Mmmmm hmmmm,” as he tossed the brush over on the bed, deciding it unnecessary. He started to rub his palm over Rhys’ marked cheeks, “Are you ready for tonight’s rules?”

Rhys opened his eyes again and looked at Vaughn in the mirror’s reflection, “Yes, Sir, ready.”

Vaughn said, “Safe word, as always, is in effect. Probably goes without saying it, but I’m saying it.” He just kept languidly rubbing his palm up and down both striped mounds.

Rhys said, “Yes, sir. Understood.”

Vaughn continued, “If you have to close your eyes a bit I will understand… but I want you to watch yourself. I want you to see what you look like when you’re beautiful and broken.”

Rhys nodded his head several times, his normally pale skinned face red as a beet. “Yes, Sir.”

Vaughn watched Rhys a moment in the reflection before saying, “Alright then. Let's get started.”

Rhys watched as Vaughn’s hand left the rounded curves of his ass and he sucked in a nervous breath. Then hand fell with a loud, meaty clap and Rhys watched as his body rocked forward a bit and his eyes squint against the pain. This was another first. Never had he been forced to watch himself endure this treatment and it blossomed in him a profound and terrible shame.

Vaughn’s hand fell again and Rhys could do nothing but watch himself react. Something about it kept his cock achingly hard.

Vaughn’s blows fell into a slow rhythm. He gave Rhys time to recover from each individual blow as it landed. In truth, the diminutive dominant was not even hitting him that hard compared to what Rhys knew he was capable of. It still caused pain, especially given that he was still so tender from his previous spanking, but the experience was incredible.

His cock was rock hard against Vaughn’s clothed thighs as he watched the way his lips parted and muscles tensed with each blow. He saw the way his face twisted up in pain when he was struck. He saw that look of vulnerability in his own eyes as he struggled to deal with the pain. It turned him on so badly it shocked even himself.

Vaughn was watching too, though Rhys didn’t stop to look at him anymore. He was told to watch himself. By turns he was disgusted with, aroused by, and ashamed of himself as the pain built.

He wasn’t even paying attention to when the blows were going to land. He was entirely focused on his reflection like the mythical Narcissus.  When he started to moan and cry out in pain he saw himself doing it before he fully realized that he was making such noise. Though the pain was on the verge of unbearable, he was still so incredibly aroused. He urgently rubbed himself against Vaughn, who was obviously similarly affected by this display.

Rhys’ eyes started streaming with tears, which was usually when all traces of his arousal disappeared and yet it persisted. His grinding against Vaughn became all out rutting like a beast in a heat.

Vaughn kept his swats slow and steady, like a metronome of pain, as precise as the bandit king’s mind for numbers.

Rhys all too soon became entirely overstimulated. His ass was smacked thoroughly red and flushed with heat while cock ached and dribbled against the fabric of Vaughn’s pants as he desperately humped against his lap. His mismatched eyes were starting to blur with tears, but he could still see himself there in all his shame and glory.  

Rhys sounded choked as he spilled his load over Vaughn’s lap following one hard crack of the palm against his skin.

Vaughn stopped hitting him as he writhed in agony and pleasure. He started to rub Rhys’ back instead of pinning him down, adding to his banquet of sensations.

Rhys let himself droop forward, dazed following that unexpected climax. He moaned softly and it turned into more of a whimper, and then quiet little sob.

“ _Oh my God, Rhys_ .” Vaughn said with a throaty voice filled with aching need, “You are… _such_ a _good_ boy… That was amazing.”

Rhys was not in the mood for gentleness and loving aftercare tonight. As his cock continued to ooze pearlescent cum on Vaughn’s leg he moaned, “Fuck me.”

Vaughn was speechless for a stretch of a few seconds.

Rhys odd eyes again found Vaughn’s in the mirror. His face was soaked with coursing tears and his voice was harsh, but he looked his lover in the eye and demanded urgently,  “Fuck me, please,”

Vaughn grabbed Rhys by his shoulders and pulled him up so that he was left kneeling on the ground by the chair. “Stay,” he ordered before lunging across the room to grab the lube and a towel. He kicked off his makeshift shoes and pulled free his clothing quicker and more carelessly than he ever was.

Vaughn covered the chair with a towel and sat down on it. He poured out some lube straight onto his throbbing cock before bringing his hand down to slather it across the surface of his erection. The lube was tossed on the floor after being capped.

Vaughn also ripped out his hair tie as he looked at his kneeling lover and said, “Get up on this dick _right now_ , Bro, and I will fuck you harder than a surprise audit.”

Rhys practically launched himself up and swung one long, lovely leg across Vaughn’s before starting to lower himself down.

Vaughn held his cock to position it at Rhys’ tight hole.

Rhys sank down, taking Vaughn’s slippery sex inside of him. The initial push past his ring of muscles hurt, but oh so pleasantly. Even though he already came, he felt a great need to be fucked by his muscular lover. He needed more.

Vaughn’s eyes half closed as Rhys enveloped his swollen shaft. He put his hands on Rhys hips, gripping him tightly to the point where he surely knew it would hurt the other man.

With his feet firmly on the ground Rhys had the leverage bounce himself, slowly at first, up and down on the other man’s cock. The hands on his hips hurt as they pulled him down hard on the down stroke while simultaneously pushing up with all his force like Vaughn was determined to make a limp ragdoll out of his lover.

Rhys whimpered as Vaughn thrust into him over and over again as he bounced himself faster. He turned his head to look at the sight of them in the mirror.

Vaughn looked them in their reflection as well. A delirious looking smile was on his lips and he was flushed with the pleasure and exertion. With a half laugh of joy, he declared, “I’m going to make you come again.”

Rhys moaned as the deep, penetrating thrusts were nailing his pleasure gland so perfectly that he felt that pressure building up inside him again.  Everything about him was a mess. His face was clammy with a salty mixture of  sweat, tears, snot and saliva.   

Vaughn pressed his teeth down on his injured lip to cause himself enough quick pain to stop himself from going over the edge and coming too quickly. He was going to keep this going like it was a matter of pride.

Rhys could feel the sweet, momentary oblivion of a second orgasm about to hit him like a wave. The golden, Echo eye flashed with a burst of yellow light as his head tilted backwards while his back arched. Then he fell forward against Vaughn’s shoulder.

Vaughn caught him and held him against himself. Rhys went so boneless so quickly that his lover paused to make sure he was still alright. “Baby… Rhys… Hey…”

Rhys had not found the ability to speak yet so he lifted his robotic arm in a big thumbs up, which made Vaughn laugh.

“Jesus, Rhys…” He laughed before pushing his hips back up to finish himself off. Of course Rhys was going to be of no help but as he was still game to carry on, Vaughn had no trouble in bouncing his lover until he too reached a particularly magnificent orgasm into Rhys’ battered ass.

Rhys breathed heavily a few minutes, resting on Vaughn, who patted him on the back. It was like a nonverbal version of something like: _Way to go, Champ_.

Rhys said after a long moment of burying his gross face in Vaughn’s sweaty hair, “Help me up, please?”

Vaughn said simply and smugly, “No.”

Rhys blinked, confused to be denied such a simple request.

Vaughn chuckled in a drunken sounding fashion before he said, “Not until you affirm… that I am the most amazing lover you ever had, and you are a helpless slave to my power.”

Rhys gave a weird snerk of laughter in response before saying, “Put it on company stationery and I’ll sign it later.”

“I hope you have some in stock at Atlas.” Vaughn grinned and added as he hefted Rhys up, “You steady? Or do I need to set you down.”

Rhys cleared his throat and said. “I’m steady.”

Vaughn released him before grabbing the towel to give himself a quick wipe down before gathering up the various things he discarded and putting them away. .

Rhys walked somewhat bow legged to the basin to wet a cloth to start cleaning himself up and he was quiet for a while as did his best to put himself back together.

Vaughn slid his underwear back on when he finished tidying and went to lay in the bed and stared at Rhys’ back and then the ceiling.

Rhys walked back to the bed finally and slid into it on his stomach, not bothering with any clothing.

Vaughn shimmied over to his side of the bed to start to stroke his fiance’s back, “I’ll take care of everything for leaving. You just relax… but I’ve got to tell you, Rhys… That was… pretty cool.”

Rhys folded his arms under his head and looked over at him, smiling shyly. “Neither of those things… ever… happened to me before.” The geeky little look of utter pride on Vaughn’s blushing face and the way he smiled made Rhys’ feel ridiculously light hearted.

Vaughn put an arm around his back, “Neither? I feel like I’ve taken gold in the sex olympics.”

Rhys grinned, his eyes lidding at the warmth of Vaughn’s skin against his, “I think there’s some Atlas military medals hanging round at the facility. I’ll make sure to bestow one on you. He started to giggle to himself. “I”ll make you a major. Major Orgasm.”

Vaughn giggled a bit as well, “I’ll take it. All glory unto me.”  

Rhys snickered and yawned widely. “You deserve it… Spoon me better… I don’t care if it hurts.”

Vaughn did not need to be told twice. He scooted closer and pressed his bare chest to Rhys’ back. He spent a while just kissing the back of Rhys’ neck until at last the CEO of Atlas fell asleep.


	23. Heavy Metal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys and Vaughn travel to Hollowpoint with LB to meet up with Janey Springs.

Vaughn stated to Rhys with a tentative air, “So… Babe… I’m going to be incredibly up front about this. I may have spent some money… a fair… bit of money.” They were standing out under the baking sun in what served as the courtyard of the Helios complex. The Bandit King had a large bag slung over his shoulder as they waited for LB to appear with their pilfered Buzzard.

Rhys glanced over with brows slightly raised before shrugging, “It’s your money, too. Spend what you want.” He stood alongside Vaughn with his hands in his pockets. “What did you buy? Hookers and blow?”

Vaughn laughed at the reprisal of their ancient college joke about what they would buy if they ever became as rich as they liked. “You’re my hooker now, bro.”

Rhys snickered and said, “Come on, I want to hear about what _we_ own.”

Vaughn grinned at the way the word ‘we’ was used and said, “To start I bought a truck, customized with some weaponry. We need a safe transport for all of your things… aaaaand that takes us to number two.”

Rhys had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He could generally read Vaughn pretty well, and he knew that his beloved was about to tell him something he was not going to like from the subtle cues in his voice and face.

Vaughn removed a striking red pistol with a scope in a leather, skag skin holster from his sack and thrust it at Rhys, “This is the Hyperion Invader and you’re going to be wearing it so long as we’re out in the Pandoran wilderness.”

Rhys kept his hands in his pockets, not about to take the item offered. He stared at the gun and shook his head, “Yeah… I don’t know about this, Vaughn...”

“Rhys. Remind me what you’re CEO of again?” Vaughn said in a leading fashion with that voice he liked to use when he was already certain he was right and it was only a matter of time until he brought Rhys around.   

Rhys rolled his eyes, knowing where this was going, “Atlas.” He played along regardless.

“And what is it that Alas manufacture?” Vaughn continued, his voice trailing upwards at the end of the question.

“Actually a surprising portfolio of items… but… yeah, yeah, Weapons,” Rhys replied in weary voice.

Vaughn exclaimed, seemingly frustrated by Rhys’ lack of appreciation for how cool this all was as he looked at the gun in his hands fondly, “You don’t understand what I went through to get this thing! I think it will be perfect for you! This thing is practically _legendary_ . It’s not too big for you. And - It has stopping power! You can discharge the _whole_ magazine at once if you need to to stop something big. This is an _amazing_ gun. No elemental effects, and that’s kind of a bummer, but - it won’t need them to get most things to back off of you.”

Rhys pressed his lips tightly together and listened with squinty eyes to Vaughn’s raving. He replied with an excuse, “I don't know how to shoot.”

Vaughn squared his jaw and looked up into Rhys’ eyes like he was testing how far his dominance might carry him with his partner. With an insistent voice he said, “Well, you’re _going_ to.” He kept the gun held out, now prepared for a battle of wills.

Rhys shook his head dismissively. He took his hands from his pockets only to fold them across his chest to make it clearer that he was not going to take the weapon and said, “No.”

Vaughn brought his heavy brows in for his most serious of squints and said, deepening his voice a bit, “I don’t really think you get a choice, here, Rhys.”

Rhys used his entire face to show his extreme displeasure with the words that came out of his fiancé's mouth. His eyes were bright and blazing with anger and his brow was furrowed. Lastly came his ridiculous, pursed lipped pout.

Before he could reply, Vaughn kept on, “Ok. Clearly I’m going to have to break this down for you. Point number one.”

It was then that Rhys knew that Vaughn had in all likelihood prepared these remarks in advance and plotted out this whole exchange. He still wasn’t going to take the gun until he decided he was going to. His arms stayed folded.

Vaughn said, “We live on Pandora.” He gestured around himself, “Alongside rakks, skags, bandits, and everyone’s favorite, spiderants.”

When Rhys spoke it was as though the whole conversation bored him, but it was only because he was feeling petulant about the way everyone teased him about the damn spiderants, his brows arched up high and he said airily, “I know. I _live_ here. You don’t have to patronize me.”

Vaughn continued, “Point number two...”

Rhys groaned. He was sure in Vaughn’s head there were corresponding projection slides to accompany his material.

Vaughn said, “We are going to be traveling in the open. We’ll have LB as our eye in the sky… and gun in the sky, but there’s a very real chance you're going to have to man the turret and shoot at enemies for us Rhys. Especially on the way back when we’re going to have valuable stuff. It’s not just your life, it’s mine, and I won’t travel with you if you don’t attempt to take that seriously.”

Rhys’ lips twisted angrily, but he stopped himself from saying anything he would regret. Instead, he gave in with a soft, “Fine. I’ll learn to use the gun,” as he relaxed his mouth into a resigned expression.

Vaughn looked up at the sky, relieved, “Thank you. I had seven more bullet points to go and we really need to get on the road. Rhys, this is a great weapon and this is _really_ important to me.” He stepped over to the other man and started to strap the weapon onto his hip.

Rhys remained in frustrated silence, not trusting himself enough to speak for fear of saying something snappy while Vaughn prepared him for battle.

When he was done arming his lover, Vaughn spoke again, his voice turned sweet and cajoling as he reached into the bag to remove a second item. “And because I love you sooooooo much, I tracked down something super awesome for you.”

Rhys could not believe his eyes. With a pose like a statue of a mythic god, Vaughn held aloft a stun baton similar to the one Yvette had equipped him with so many months ago.  He let out a loud, embarrassingly exuberant shout of excitement as he took it and stood back from Vaughn to fire it up with a flash of light and sparks, “Ha Ha! Oh _Hell Yeah_ , Vaughn! I am a _badass_ with these!”

Vaughn stepped backwards. He heard, in great detail, Yvette’s story about what it was like to be on the receiving end of the baton of the and did not want to experience it first hand. “I know. I figure It’ll be your go to… but we’re gonna teach you to do some shooting on this trip.”

Rhys turned off the stun baton, pointed it at the ground and advanced on Vaughn to hug him, beaming, “Thank you!” He kissed the man's temple to avoid hurting his sore lip. “Thank you for the gun too… I’ll learn to shoot it. You’re probably… not wrong.”

Vaughn’s expression was soft and apologetic, “I’m sorry to strong arm you, babe, but it's important to me. I know I said I wouldn’t force you to do things you don't want to do in our relationship… but … I need you alive. You know where you live and you know the kinds of things these corporations do to each other. You’ve got to be prepared.”

Rhys listened to the lecture quietly and shrugged his shoulders at the end, “I get it… it’s alright It’s probably not fair to force you by default to be my bodyguard... where the hell is LB with the Buzzard?”

“He’ll be here soon. By the way... “ Vaughn said with a devious grin, “I packed the rope.”

Rhys said, “You're a genius. Good call.” For a brief moment, he thought that he might be a little angry at his partner for manipulating him so easily, but it quickly turned into pride in the man’s ability. His mismatched eyes stayed on him as they fell into an easy silence while waiting.

They had spent so much time together in the dimness and artificial lights of Helios of late that he had forgotten how good Vaughn looked out in the sunlight. He observed the highlights and lowlights the sun had made in Vaughn’s dark, mahogany hair; even in spite of his tendency to wear a hood.

Vaughn questioned him with a self satisfied grin after a couple of minutes, “You’re sure you can sit on the leg of that thing for hours?”

Rhys winked and nodded, “I’m fine. If it hurts I’ll just think about last night… and last night was...” He trailed off.

Vaughn put out a fist and Rhys obligingly bumped it.

Vaughn’s hands moved to his hips as he scanned the sky, “When we get to Hollowpoint, Janey is going to take us out and give us a rundown on the truck to make sure we can both drive it with no issues.”

Rhys’s lips pulled up into a wicked little grin as he jibed, “We have to make sure you can reach the pedals, right?”

Vaughn snorted and said with a broad smile, “Hopefully, we can move the seat up… anyway… we’re going to do that and we’re going to do a little shooting practice. I think you’ll like it.”

“I already agreed, no need to keep convincing me I’ll love it,” Rhys said with mild annoyance, “I’ll do it either way.”  

Vaughn looked dejected at his fiancés response, “I just thought… it could be something to do together.” He nudged the taller man with his shoulder, “Come on, eventually you’re going to be making guns… and i’m going to want to shoot them… and I’m going to be extremely excited about it. The Children of Helios may not like guns, but I _love_ them.”

Rhys smiled warmly as Vaughn got geeky about guns. “You are such a badass.” He nudged him back, “Alright, alright, I will happily shoot guns with you if that's what you want. I can’t deny you anything after you found me a stun baton. I am going to rock your entire world this trip.”

Vaughn grinned up at him before catching sight of LB in the sky. “Ahhhh, our Chariot arrives.”

*    *    *    *    *

Rhys was unprepared for how stabbing the pain in his chest would be as he walked up to the door of the Hollowpoint Catch-A-Ride. The gloomy dimness of the cave city made the intensity of the feelings even more oppressive.

LB had stayed to guard the Buzzard while Rhys and Vaughn went in to pick up their new vehicle, so the two men came alone to pick up the truck.

Rhys paused and reached out to take Vaughn’s hand, “I still can’t believe he’s gone. I mean I didn’t know him well, but I feel... ” He sighed, “You know how I feel. Responsible.”  

Vaughn nodded with understanding in his soft expression, “Babe, you’re not responsible for everything. I talked to Fiona about him. She’s… just as bad as you are over it… but it's neither of your fault... Come on, let’s go inside before we get shanked by a bandit. ”

Rhys squeezed Vaughn’s hand before releasing it. He he opened the door and held it so his Bandit King could proceed him into the establishment.

The voice of Janey Springs could be heard a few moments before she was seen, “Is there someone there? Ah! Boys, You’re right on time.” The mechanic strolled over to the men with a big smile on her face.  

“Hi, you must be Janey Springs,” Vaughn stepped forward and offered her his hand.

She grabbed it and used it to drag him in for a hug, “Vaughn! Nice to meet you in the flesh. ‘Ello There, Rhys!”  

Vaughn seemed surprised but happily hugged her back, “Nice to meet you too!”

Rhys raised a hand in a wave and said, “Hey, Janey…”

When she released Vaughn she went in and hugged Rhys, “Good to see you again. Glad you’re still alive.”

“Heh… yeah. You and me both,” He said as he hugged her in return. He liked hugging. There was far too little hugging on Pandora. “And Athena… she’s… alright?”

“She’s just fine. She’s off working.” She stepped back, “We’re just working and waiting on you guys to give us the word. We’ll be out quick as we can when you need us. The truck’s out back. She’s all up to _your_ specifications - and _my_ suggestions.”

“Excellent,” Vaughn said while rubbing his palms together in excitement.

Janey continued, “I’m also getting together things to get you boys set up with a Catch-A-Ride out at your little desert oasis.”

“That would be _amazing,_ ” Rhys said sincerely, “Thank you so much for helping us with all this.”

Janey said with a shrug and a smile, “Well you boys are contributing _heavily_ to my wedding fund so I am more then happy to help! Plus, you’re friends with Fiona, and Fiona’s friends with Athena, which makes _you_ friends with _me_.” There was a pause before she gave them the biggest smile and said, “A little Rakk told me that you two are getting hitched up as well.”

The blissful smile on Vaughn’s face made Rhys as he affirmed, “Yes!”

“We are!” Vaughn enthused, “We don’t have a date or anything beyond some time after the vault gets opened.”

Janey smiled up at Rhys, “Awww, look at you. All blushing. You two are _adorable_.”

Rhys blushed even more at it being pointed out. He gave a goofy little smile and put an arm around Vaughn’s shoulders. “We’d be happy if you would come to the wedding.”

Vaughn agreed instantly, “Yes! Of course. ” He slid his bag off of his shoulder so he could get out the cash.

Janey clapped her hands together, “I’d love to! You’ll have to come to mine and Athena’s as well.”

“Certainly. We’d love to… right Rhys?” Vaughn was already settling so well into couplehood.

Rhys nodded as he said, “Yes, of course.” It felt a little strange to be so cheerful and domestic and full of future plans on such a desolate planet.

Vaughn handed the blond woman a stack of bills, saying, “That’s everything we agreed on, plus a tip for putting together everything on such short notice.”

Janey’s brows lifted and she said,  “Well! That’s, very kind of you Vaughn. Lemme just stash this away and grab the keys and I’ll be back in a bit.”

Once Janey had disappeared into the back office Vaughn turned grabbed Rhys’ hand and squeezed it as he rambled excitedly, “I talked to her on the Echo Com quite a bit yesterday. She used to live on Elpis and was there during that crazy stuff that happened when Dahl attacked Helios. She has all _kind_ of interesting stories. Oh and she told me all sorts of things I didn’t know about the Crackening...” He seemed to realize he was rambling and after a pause to take a breath he declared, “I like her.”  

Rhys agreed with a vigorous nod, “She’s very nice, which is kind of strange for Pandora. She’s _really_ smart too. She turned that stupid caravan into a rocket ship… who only knows what else she can do.” Without warning his shoulders slumped and he sighed morosely.

“What’s wrong?” Vaughn frowned at the sudden change in his partner’s demeanor.

Rhys answered, in a soft, sullen voice, “I would offer her a job in a heartbeat, but I can’t because it would piss off Athena… and I am just... not prepared to do that.” Because it was Vaughn, he wasn’t ashamed to admit, “She… scares me.”

Vaughn squeezed Rhys’ hand, “Athena is… intimidating but she’s not psychotic. I’m sure she’s willing to be reasonable about the fact that you’re running Atlas now. So keep the idea of hiring  her in the back of your mind for now and let’s just... build relationships in the meantime.” His head cocked back to look up in a knowing way and he smiled slyly. “Come on Rhys, you’re the business major. We need friends as much as we do employees.”

Rhys breathed out as he turned his best bedroom eyes on and looked Vaughn over,  “You’re so hot when you’re smart and strategic.”

Janey came out from the back and said, “Alright. So… I’m going to drive you gents out into the desert a ways… then I’ll give you some lessons, then you and your friend the Robot can get on your merry way and Athena will pick me up.”

Rhys didn’t sound as sincere as he liked as he said, “Athena, great! Great to see her … again.”

Vaughn wrapped an arm around Rhys’ and used it to pull him towards the exit, “That sounds perfect.”

The trio approached the Truck. It was similar to a bus, only wider and more stable. IT was definitely a good vehicle for hauling things around. It was painted white, a good measure against the desert heat, with accents of red and black. A large gun turret was mounted at the top of it, closer to the back.  It was accessible through a ladder in the cargo hangar, which was itself accessible via a door from the sleeping area directly behind the two front seats.

Janey unlocked the passenger door and climb into the driver’s seat. Rhys moved through to sit on the bed so he could look in between the pair and Vaughn sat in the passenger seat.

“It’s… pretty big… and it’s can take some shots, like you said?” Vaughn asked the woman as she fired up the engine. He was taking in the various buttons and controls with curiosity. Vaughn was the sort of man that read the instruction manual for every appliance and gadget he had ever owned.

“Oh yeah! This thing can take a _real_ pounding,” Janey replied, “You’re gonna attract a lot of attention… so it needs to. You got shields?”

Rhys spoke up to say, “We will on the way home… I have some at Atlas.”

Vaughn craned his head back so he could look at his fiancé and  said, “Alright Rhys! That’s great… I didn’t know.”

Rhys grinned and said more seductively then he actually meant, “I have so many things to show you there that you’re going to like.”

Janey teased them playfully, “Keep it in your pants while I’m here.”

They drove out of the shadows of Hollow point and into the dusty desert. Once they were in an open expanse she made the men take turns at driving the large vehicle for a few hours. She patiently instructed them on making the turns and backing up the vehicle.

Once she was reasonably satisfied that they were not going roll the truck she then showed them each how to work the weapon systems. The Turret sat a bit high, it had to in order to be able to cover the back of the vehicle without shooting into the cargo. There were also front mounted guns for the driver to control.  

Rhys found he actually liked the shooting. He really was not that keen on doing it in a high stress environment, but there was something to the activity that satisfied something in him.

Vaughn was like a kid in a very violent candy store. His skill and enthusiasm for firing weaponry had an undeniable effect on Rhys in the general region of his groin, but he managed to think enough unsexy thoughts to not embarrass himself in front of Janey.

Soon after they met up with LB and the Buzzard to wait for Athena to pick up Janey and do some shooting with Rhys’ new pistol. Janey and Vaughn took turns setting up bits of trash to make him shoot at. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t terrible at it either. At the least, they made him feel competent enough with the weapon that he would not do something stupid with it like shooting himself in the foot.

As they were resting, Athena appeared on her motorcycle to collect her girlfriend. She did not seem inclined to stay overlong. She put down the kickstand on the bike and climbed off it before nodding. “Rhys, Vaughn.” She nodded, looking as serious as ever. Her expression only softened once it turned upon the blond woman, “Janey.”

Janey stepped forward to put her arms around Athena, “Hey Darling.”

Athena obliged her with a brief kiss as they hugged, though she did not really stop glaring at Rhys the whole time.

Rhys raised a hand to wave, “Hey… Athena.” He kept a pleasant smile on his face.

Vaughn just waved and otherwise stayed quiet.

The purple haired Vault Hunter kept staring hard at Rhys once Janey let her go. “You had handsome Jack in your head the whole time we were together,” she said, her tone accusatory.

Janey was determined to keep the peace, “Athena… let’s not get into that.”

Rhys took in a deep breath, “I tried to tell you, but he… made me punch myself in the face. I don’t just… do that for no reason. I was… hostage.” He was satisfied by the way Vaughn moved closer to him to put an arm around his waist.

Athena shook her head, “I’m not… angry. I Just want to know if he’s gone. I want you to say it to my face.”

Rhys frowned and said, “Yes!” He pointed at his eye and then touched the port, “I used debris to pry this port out of my own skull and I pulled out everything he could hide in out of my own face.” He held up his silver hand, “I ripped my whole arm off… all to make sure that bastard had nowhere to hide… no way to kill me with my own damn cybernetics. He is fucking _gone_.” He closed his eyes and started to take some deep breaths, trying to forestall the anger and anxiety that was welling up in him.

Janey intervened, eager to be peacemaker, “Athena… this isn’t necessary. Apologize. These guys just spent a lot of money with us and invited us to their wedding.”

Vaughn, too, seemed eager to calm things back down, “He’s gone. Jack is dead and his little program is gone.” He eyed Rhys trying to gauge where the man was at emotionally.  

Athena looked to Janey, then to Vaughn and finally to Rhys, “I’m sorry... to question you. But you understand how dangerous he is… regardless of the format. I… wanted to be sure.”

Rhys looked over at her and said, seeming much calmer than just a few moments ago, “Hey… it’s alright. I’d… probably feel the same way in your shoes.” He even smiled, though it was a bit wan. “I promise you it's all me in here.”

Athena nodded firmly and the women looked at each other and it seemed they were having a conversation without speaking before Athena said, “Thank you… for doing business with Janey. We appreciate it… and for having us assist with this Vault.” She stepped up to Rhys holding out a hand.

Rhys felt virtually back to normal and was even pleased with himself for keeping his cool. He smiled his ten million dollar smile back at her as he shook her hand and said, “As soon as we get back, we’ll be in touch.”

Athena shook hands with Vaughn, “We look forward to hearing from you.” She went and sat on the motorcycle as Janey hugged each of the men.

Janey whispered as she hugged Rhys, “She really hated Jack.” It was a charming understatement.

“Tell me about it,” Rhys smirked. “Nice to see you again.”

Janey said, “You too, Rhys! Send us a message if you run into any trouble. Alright then, see you later!” She then walked over and climbed on the back of the motorcycle, putting her arms around Athena’s waist.

Athena gave them a final nod and soon the pair were speeding off across the desert back to the cave city.

Vaughn’s hand was on the small of his fiancé's back as they disappeared from view. “I’m proud of you, Rhys.”

Rhys smiled, pleased with the praise, “Thank you. Let’s get this thing on the road… you can drive first, I know you want to.”

Vaughn laughed, “Thanks. I _really_ do.”


	24. Bro'd Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys and Vaughn continue their road trip to the Atlas Facility. Vaughn enjoys the pleasures of semi-civilized life once they make it to their destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much fluff.

They made the group decision that they should not drive anymore. The pair of drivers had tried to sleep and drive in shifts but they both found themselves tired enough to park the truck. LB was atop of it at present, manning the turret in case any dangers approached. It was already snowing heavily and on top of that it was growing dark for the long Pandoran night. The landscape seemed so desolate that they felt relatively safe in taking some time to sleep.

When they had eaten their final meal and bid goodnight to Loader Bot, they climbed into the bed behind the cab, which was kitted out with a large, white blanket from bullymong fur along with some more traditional bedding. Rhys slid in first to lay against the wall as was his preference. Vaughn lay in front of him to guard him, as was his.

Vaughn grinned as he wormed his way close to Rhys after locking up the doors, “Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.”

Rhys chuckled, “I know, right? I could cut glass with my nipples.” He snuggled close to Vaughn and put his arms around the bandit to snuggle close.

“We should be there around dinner next sleep cycle. Are you excited?” Vaughn enquired as he pressed against Rhys in turn.  

“Yeah…” Rhys replied, “I know we have a good bit of work to get done while we’re there… but I want this trip to be all about you… even if we’re doing this mostly because I’m having a nervous breakdown.”

“You are not.” Vaughn insisted softly, “You never give yourself enough of a break… and that’s sweet...but you don’t have to…”

The taller man cut him off, “I want to. I want to do so much for you. So whatever you want, just tell me and I’ll do it.” Rhys rubbed his cold hands over the back of Vaughn’s vest to warm them.  

It was very dim in the cab but there was just enough light once their eyes adjusted that they could see the outlines of each other’s faces.

“Thanks, babe. All I really need is for you to be with me,” Vaughn said softly. “I don’t need you to do anything.”

Rhys let silence fall. They really needed to sleep, but there was something on his mind that he could not let go of. He cleared his throat and said, “I kind of think I do and that… that we need… to talk about … something.”

Vaughn yawned and threw a leg across Rhys’ under the blankets, “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

Rhys said cautiously, “I was wondering… if you wanted to talk about us… before we came down to Pandora… and how I used to treat you.. because I feel like we’ve been glossing over things because of … how messed up I am.”

Vaughn made a soft humming sound before he said, “I don’t know if it’s glossing over… so much as starting over.”

“But I don’t think that that’s fair to you…” He reached out a hand to touch Vaughn’s face, his fingers stroked the side of the bandits’ beard. “I know I hurt you… frequently… for years… hell since we met.”

With a soothing voice, laced that cautiousness he used when he was worried for his fiancé, Vaughn spoke the words, “I’m not angry. Not anymore.”

Rhys’ echo eye activated creating soft yellowy glow as he said, “It’s not about how mad you are. It’s about what you went through because of me and how selfish I was. You don’t have to be… I don’t know … what’s the word… stoic? Somehow, in spite of what I did to you… for years… you still love me.”

“You are _so_ easy to love,” Vaughn insisted.

With a derisive snort, the tall man countered, “I’m _not_ easy to love. I’m vain and selfish. I get mad easily. I am kind of a huge jerk… but in spite of all that you always have loved me anyway. Vaughn, baby, I _used_ you… and _hurt_ you… because I was too scared to be the person I really am… That is... a bisexual… and you have to still have feelings about that. I want to hear them. No… I _need_ to hear them.”

A deep breath was taken in by Vaughn and then released to give him time to think before he said, “I don’t think you’re in a place… mentally… where… we should be going over this.”

“I’m okay, Vaughn… I can handle it,” Rhys insisted. “Honestly? I hear it in little things you say here and there. The little… bits of resentment.”

Though he tried to keep his voice calm and steady, Vaughn quickly turned flustered and a flood of halting words escaped his lips, “What do you want me to say? Yeah… you hurt me… _badly_. I did feel… used… and… a lot of other things. It’s like… you only ever showed interest in these … good looking, skinny girls… and then there was me… your fat, ugly friend that you had to be drunk to fuck around with.” Vaughn’s voice held an unmistakable bitterness. “And then you wouldn't even talk to me after… like you were ashamed to have made out with me in the first place.”

Rhys ran his fingers along the man’s shoulder and down his arm under the blanket. “I always thought you were cute Vaughn. I was attracted you from the day we met.”

Vaughn scoffed softly not seeming inclined to believe that at all. “Now _that's_ some revisionist history if I ever heard it.”

Though it hurt him, Rhys felt a relief at hearing Vaughn voice his anger and pain. It was an injustice that he felt the need to keep his feelings bottled up to spare his lover. Rhys insisted, “No, really… I’m not with you now just because you got some sick abs. Everything I did to you had to do with _me_ and _my_ issues and nothing to do with how you looked. It was me being… ashamed of myself. Unable to deal with the fact that I was so attracted to men… to _you_... and I didn't want to be… and all that because of my stupid, asshole parents.”

“It felt that way… It felt like you were ashamed of me.” Vaughn took Rhys flesh hand under the blanket and squeezed it tight. “There were so many times after we fooled around that I… just… cried. Just wishing I could be the kind of person you’d want to be seen with. Wishing I was… thinner… better looking...”

“You didn’t deserve that...I knew I was being such a fuck... And I tried … to stop. But God, baby, the way you’d look at me sometimes… the way you look at me still… it makes me feel like maybe I’m… worth _something_ … and I hate that I made you feel worthless to make myself feel okay. I was just such a… coward.”    

Vaughn sniffled softly, his voice had an impassioned strain, “You _are_ worth something… you're _everything_ to me... and I’m not… I mean you’re… we’re… dangit.” He started to shudder under the blanket.

Rhys whispered as Vaughn laid his head on his chest and started to cry softly, “I'm so sorry. Please, just give me time… and I’ll make it all up to you. No matter how long it takes.” He could feel the tears pooling at the corner of his eyes before they spilled all down his cheeks and into the bandit’s hair.

There was silence and sniffling from both men in the dark as they clung on to each other like their lives depended on it. Vaughn spoke with a broken voice, “You don't _get_ it. I don't _need_ that. I'm not keeping some ledger of past sins that you have to balance out with good deeds for us finally to be equal. We're starting over… the past is the past. You were… messed up. It's okay. Just do your best to be good to me now… and I'll do the same.”

“Okay…” Rhys pressed his face into Vaughn’s hair. “I just wanted _you_ to know… that _I_ know… I put you through hell. That I am _so_ sorry for it. I only ever realized just how much I took you for granted… until I thought you were dead.”

“Thank you,” Vaughn sniffled, “For acknowledging all of _that._ I know you love me. I forgive you… you know that right?”

“Yeah. I do.” He kissed his beloved’s forehead, tenderly. “I know I don’t need to, but I want to… romance you like you deserve. Like I should have years ago.”

“I can definitely get behind that,” the bandit chuckled softly and sniffled again. “And in front of it. Romance me up. Serve yourself on a platter to me with an apple in your mouth. But for now, we should sleep. Okay?” Vaughn tilted his head up to kiss Rhys on the lips.

“Okay… goodnight, Vaughn. I love you.” Rhys kept one arm draped around his lover’s chest and kissed the man’s hair again..

“Good night, sweetheart. I love you too,” Vaughn whispered and kissed the small bit of his exposed chest.

*    *    *    *    *

It was still dark when they arrived at the facility. Rhys got out of the truck and powered down the defenses and Vaughn drove the truck up as close to the main building as he could.

When they entered that same room they had with Fiona, Sasha, Athena, and Gortys so many months ago, Vaughn could not contain his amusement. He looked around with a grin, “It’s like you knew I was coming. Did you actually clean up? Because I know this place couldn’t have looked this good when you were living here.”

Rhys laughed as he put his hands on his hips and looked around, “Yeah. I didn't know when I would be back so I made sure I didn't attract animals or anything.”

“Point me to these showers at once. It’s been over a year since I’ve had one and I am not waiting another moment,” Vaughn declared, looking down at his well worn clothes.

“I’ll join you,” Rhys replied, “You might not find it on your own. Hey, LB! Go on and make yourself at home. We’ll be back in a while.”

LB gave them the thumbs up. “Enjoy your power wash and human coupling. I will survey the compound.”

Taking Vaughn by the hand, Rhys laughed, “Thanks!” He dragged his significant other along, “Come on. I’ll show you my room. It clearly belonged to the manager of this facility. It has a private shower… It’s sweet. You’re going to love it.”

They walked through a number of corridors before they came to Rhys bedroom. He had even had the foresight to make the bed before he had left the facility. He was glad. It was better than having to wash a bunch of sheets and blankets before going to bed.

Vaughn, of course, noticed right away, “You made your bed even? Who are you and where is my Rhys?”

With a smirk he replied, “Ha. Ha. No one wants to come back from a journey to a dirty house. Come on… through here. Plus, there was clearly no you to come and clean up after me so I had to figure out how to do it myself.” He opened up the door to the bathroom and immediately turned on the lights and the exhaust fan. “Ta da.” He stepped inside and beckoned his fiancée inside.

The room was large and square. There was a shower stall, large enough for two people and with a shower head tall enough to accommodate Rhys. The floor was titled in shining red and silver tiles throughout and the walls were made of overlaying slabs of a metallic silver. There was a bench seat that ran across the far wall of it so one could shower while seated, if needed.

A large tub was opposite the shower along the back wall. It also gave the appearance of being chrome as did the toilet.

A noise of pure, childish glee came bubbling forth from Vaughn’s lips as he looked upon the bathroom. “This is amazing…” He started ripping his clothing off. “I am dead. This is the afterlife… and it's _glorious_.”

Smiling at his joy Rhys started to shed his clothing as well. “Welcome to Chez Rhys.”

Vaughn said, “I am so done with these clothes. I am getting new ones from the Quick Change station and we can burn these.” With that he practically skipped over to the shower. He opened up the glass door and turned the handle on the tap while standing out of the way of the stream of water until he could be certain the temperature was right. “Shampoo! Oh Rhys… this _is_ romantic.”

Rhys chuckled and said, “And they say romance is dead.” He chuckled some more and hung two towels on the bar by the shower door before laying one on the ground as well. After grabbing two washcloths he followed Vaughn into the shower, closing the door behind them. “The water pressure is pretty great too. Way better than it was on Helios.”

After holding his hand under the water to test the temperature Vaughn pulled out his hair tie, tossed it over the glass partition and stepped out under the water. He let the water wash over himself and moaned out in joy at the refreshing sensation.

Rhys laughed and reached for the bar of soap that was left in there. Hanging up one of the washcloths he took the other and ran the bar of soap over it to create a lather before starting to reverently wash Vaughn’s back.

“Hell or high-water, baby, we’re gonna figure out how to get at least one set of showers running at Helios. I _need_ it. I can’t believe how good this feels.” Vaughn rolled his shoulders, enjoying Rhys’ scrubbing. He turned to face the other man and slid his arms around him before tilting his face up for a kiss.

Rhys smiled and bent down to give him a long, luxurious kiss before he resumed work trying to wash Vaughn’s front for him.

After releasing him Vaughn reached up one hand to grab onto the metal bar that ran across the shower so that Rhys could work at scrubbing him. He just stood there under the warm water and let his partner clean him with a lazy smile. When he was done, he returned the favor with the other washcloth.

Once their bodies were clean Rhys took Vaughn by the shoulders and turned him about so that he could shampoo the man’s long hair. “Close your eyes... “

With eyes closed Vaughn groaned at the feeling of Rhys’ fingers working through his scalp. “This is already...the single most romantic thing we’ve ever done.”

Rhys laughed low, “The bar’s been set pretty low… This is only the beginning, hot stuff. Alright… go on and rinse off.” While Vaughn did so he lathered up his own hair with shampoo.

“I couldn’t help but notice that that bathtub looks big enough for two as well,” Vaughn observed, careful to avoid getting shampoo and water in his mouth as he talked with his eyes closed.  

“We’ll try that out tomorrow, maybe… we can have a nice soak after a day of laboring. Or watching Loader Bot labor.”

“Alright, I’m done…” Vaughn stepped out around Rhys so that he could rinse the shampoo from his own hair. He opened the door to leave the shower.

Rhys clucked his tongue and said, “No. You take a seat, buddy. CEO’s orders.”

Vaughn questioned with a grin, though he complied readily “Oh, are we on Atlas rules as long as we’re on Atlas property?”

“Yeeeeup. And I totally outrank you as CEO.” Rhys replied as he rinsed out his hair.

Vaughn merely smirked and settled down at the back of the shower. “I suppose that’s fair. We are now out of my benevolent Kingdom and into your dystopian corporate dictatorship.”

Rhys joked, “Soon our houses shall be joined in marriage, and the peasants of all the lands will rejoice. Though my peasants are mostly turrets and man eating plants.” With his hair washed  he reached up a hand and tilted the shower head up to spray as far back as Vaughn was seated, initially blasting him in the face with the water.

“Thanks,” he laughed. “I really needed water up my nose.”

“Sorry,” Rhys looked apologetic and pushed the shower head up a little higher so that it would cascade the water down on him instead. He slowly walked over and got down on his knees on the tile floor in front of the man. With a hand on each of Vaughn’s knees he craned his head down to take his freshly cleaned cock into his mouth. There was no need to work it into a state of readiness as they were both achingly hard from all of the warmth and touching of each other’s bodies.

The freshly scrubbed bandit leaned his head back against the wall and groaned softly, “A guy could get used to this.”

Rhys slid his wet hands up Vaughn’s legs. One hand reached around the base of his cock while the other went to fondle those washboard abs. He was pleased at the progress he had made in the art of fellacio since he had begun practicing it just a couple short weeks ago.

Vaughn for his part, was also pleased. On occasion, he would stop Rhys so that they might continue with other pursuits but on this occasion he was happy just to let Rhys work his mouth magic all the way to a spectacular orgasm.

After swallowing, though there was no need to, Rhys got to his feet and bent down to give Vaughn a little closed-mouth kiss before going to rinse his mouth out with the shower water.  

“Now let me do you,” Vaughn insisted in a low, happy voice once he had recovered himself.

“Nope.” Rhys grinned. “This is the vacation of Vaughn! We’ll worry about me later after we get some food in us.”

Vaughn rolled his eyes with a grin, “If you insist… I suppose you’ll want me to do the cooking?”

“Unfortunately, if you are looking for it to be edible… that’s probably for the best.” He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel and handed it to the other man before grabbing one for himself.

When they were both mostly dried, Rhys noted, “I have other clothes in here. Why don’t you go to the quick change station and get something new to wear. You can just wear a towel out there. I doubt LB minds, if he’s even out there. I mean… he’s basically naked all the time… right?”

Smirking, Vaughn agreed while wrapping his towel around his midsection. “Sure… I’ll meet you out by the Quick Change than, and you can show me where the kitchen even is?”

“You bet,” Rhys replied sweetly. As soon as Vaughn was gone he hurried to his dresser and fished out a pair of red, silky boxers and put them on. Rushing to his desk, he frantically searched around in its contents before finding exactly what he was looking for: a pad of Atlas stationary. Snatching a pen off of his desk he started to write after listing the day’s date:

_This letter is to officially certify that Vaughn is in fact the greatest lover I have ever had. I am a helpless slave to his power and glory. Furthermore, I cede my entire person to him in mind, body, and soul._

He signed and dated it at the bottom and folded up the page before putting it on Vaughn’s pillow. Vaughn would know it to be his by its proximity to the door. That done he went to the dresser to find another outfit to wear.

After perusing his options for several minutes he chose to wear something comfortable. They had traveled a long way so it seemed right to put on his cozy pair of dark gray sweatpants and a simple black T-shirt. So dressed, he went to find his fiancée.

Vaughn stood facing the machine, but turned around when he heard Rhys’ footsteps. He had exactly the same idea as Rhys, and that was comfort. He had opted for dark green tracksuit pants and a lighter gray t-shirt. He was also sporting a sleek new pair of accounting glasses from the machine.

Both men started to laugh at the sight of the other one.

“I was sure you were going to appear dressed to the nines and I’d feel stupid,” Vaughn smiled so broadly his mouth was surely going to hurt. “But _ohmygod_ I had forgotten what being this comfortable felt like. New _underwear_ . New _socks_.” He held out one foot to show Rhys the argyle socks he had picked from the machine for his feet, while balancing on the other.

Rhys gave him the thumbs up, “Those are some _damn_ fine socks, Bro. All I wanted was to be comfy too. Glad we had the same idea. I see you missed your glasses.”  

“ _Bro_ ,” Vaughn replied, using the intonation of the phrase to denote the seriousness with which he was about to speak, “These are way better than my last pair. I can’t lie. I missed the _hell_ out of them. As our chief financial strategist it will benefit me to have them.”

“You don’t have to justify them to me,” Rhys laughed as he tapped his index finger against his temple port, “I have an Echoeye. I _get_ it. You need your tech.” He winked his yellow Echoeye at him. Seeing Vaughn this excited swelled Rhys up with delight.

“Good… Rhys. This is _great_.” He padded over in his socked feet towards Rhys, “So maybe I’m the one that really needed this after all.”

Rhys laughed and slung his flesh arm around Vaughn’s shoulders, “Yes, you did. You’ve been responsible for the lives of so many people for so long. You deserve a break… other than cooking dinner, because you still totally have to do that.”

“I can do that, no problem,” Vaughn grinned up at his companion, “Just lead the way.”

After showing Vaughn to the kitchen with its supply of remaining stores, Rhys disappeared for a bit to gather up some of the edible plants and fruit to use for further ingredients.

Cooking together was full of fun and laughter. Vaughn took the time to explain how and why he did the steps he did while Rhys actually applied himself to paying attention and helping. There was a simple joy in each other’s companionship. Rhys decided it was good for him to chop things as there was no risk of accidentally slicing the fingers of his robotic hand.

Not too long before things were completed, Rhys excused himself to set the table. The lights were dimmed down in the small cafeteria that was adjacent to the kitchens. He lit the few candles he could find and set them on the table with the simple square food trays and combined spoon and fork utensils that Atlas facilities all seemed to have in common. When he was done he joined Vaughn again in the kitchen to help him carry the food in.

Vaughn smiled as he entered the cafeteria, “Awww, Rhys. You are adorable. That romance bar just keeps getting higher, doesn’t it?”

Rhys said, “I meant what I said. I am going to take better care of you from now on.” He carried the pitcher of water and glasses while Vaughn carried the platter of food. “Hell, when it all comes down to it… I wouldn’t have made it nearly as far as I have in life without you.”

Vaughn set down the platter before taking a seat. “Staaaaaahp. You are smart, and talented and you didn’t need me to make you that way.”

After setting down the cups, Rhys filled them with water. Beverage options were not exactly plentiful out here. “I’m serious. I needed you. You always gave the best advice… listened to my bitching… stopped me from doing stupid stuff.” He settled across from Vaughn at the table.

Vaughn chuckled, “We both did a lot of bitching.” He served himself some of the food and waited for Rhys to do the same before eating. “At least my anxiety was good for keeping you out of trouble.”

“Remember that time I wanted to fight Assquez because he ‘accidentally’ threw his drink in my face at that S & P departmental party thrown to celebrate our deal?” Rhys grinned broadly at the memory as he filled up his tray. It was humiliating at the time, but present circumstances and the passage of time made it fairly funny.

“Oh man. You were so lucky I stopped you. He would have mopped the floor with you if I let you try it.” Vaughn snickered.

“He sure would have.” Rhys agreed before taking a bite from his food. When he swallowed he added, “Oh… and who always ironed my shirts?” Rhys ducked his head a little while asking with a sly grin.

“Me.” Vaughn grinned fondly before stabbing a piece of the skagmeatloaf he was able to assemble. “This is surprisingly not terrible.”

Rhys seized on that, “Exactly… and you cooked everything that I ate that wasn’t take out or cereal.” Rhys grinned.

Vaughn chuckled. “You are so dang lucky you’re so cute.”

“I tell myself that every morning…. So… because you have always taken such good care of me... tomorrow, before we start packing everything up… I’m going to take you down to the firing range I found and I can show you some of the shields and weapons and things I scrounged up from this facility. I think you’re going to love it. You can continue to make me _hardened_ and battle ready.”

Vaughn almost choked on a piece of meatloaf. When he managed to swallow it he laughed, “I don’t have to take you down to the gun range to harden you… but I am all for it. Shooting is like anything else, the more you do it the better you get at it.”

“With you to teach me I will be deadly in no time.” Rhys made his voice all low and sultry and gave him his best sultry look, which was fairly ridiculous.

Teasingly, Vaughn fired back, “And if we’re lucky I won’t even be the one who is dead!”

Rhys picked up a piece of drake fruit with his fingers and said, “You’re just begging for some fruit based violence.” But instead of throwing it he popped it into his mouth.

Vaughn took a sip from his glass and said, “And you know what you're begging for if you throw it at me… Man... I’m going to have a fantastic time tomorrow. I’m _totally_ looking forward to this... Thanks, babe.”

Rhys just clicked his tongue and gave him the thumbs up in response. Smooth Rhys was now in operation.  

When they had finished eating, Rhys sent Vaughn back to their room while he bussed their plates, cups and utensils back to the kitchens and washed them along with the items used to prepare the meal. It felt satisfying to him to take care of this so Vaughn would not feel the need to do it.

He was especially looking forward to trying to take the reigns in the bedroom that night. When he returned to the room, though, it was to find Vaughn laying on top of the blankets on the bed with Rhys’ unfolded note held against his breast, fast asleep.

With a small smile Rhys shook his head and grabbed a spare blanket to drape over the other man. He carefully pulled the glasses from Vaughn’s face and set them on the nightstand along with the note.

Working quickly and quietly, he penned a second note to tell Vaughn to call him if he woke up and placed it on the nightstand. He dimmed down the lights and left the room before using the digital keypad to lock it up.  

Since sex was temporarily off the table and he was not quite so exhausted yet, he wanted to take a wander through the facility for his own peace of mind. He walked along here and there, keeping an eye out for any things that would seem amiss with how he left things the last time. It was to his great relief that he found nothing out of the ordinary. When he returned to the room with the Quick Change he found Loader Bot sitting at the table.

Rhys walked up to where the robot sat, “Hey… LB.” Once he was at the robot’s side he settled in the chair beside him.

“Hi.” Loader Bot greeted precisely.

“I wanted to thank you.” Rhys’s voice was soft and mild.

“Why?” the robot enquired, his monotone voice giving no clue to his feelings.

“Because you have been really patient… with me… and I appreciate that you came with us to do this. You’ve bailed me out so many times… I mean I probably never properly thanked you for all of that, too.”

“You are welcome. Anything for my human.”

Rhys swallowed and said, tentatively, “You, uh, you love Gortys, don’t you?”

The robot turned its red eye to him and said in his simple, seemingly emotionless way, “Yes. As far as I understand it.”

Rhys nodded slowly and folded his hands in front of himself on the table. “I … don’t think I really ever understood love until now. Maybe I still fully don’t… but I do, more than I ever did. I’ve been… a pretty selfish guy my whole life… I’m sure that’s not shocking.”

Loader Bot replied only with charitable silence.

“But I want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve done for me… all the times you’ve saved my life… and Vaughn’s... and I’m sorry I made you think that I had just abandoned Gortys.”

“I know you did not. I saw you,” Loader Bot intoned in his robotic monotone, “When I claimed this body, I saw you there, bloodied on the floor. I assumed you had expired. I could not help you as I was, but I did not want to leave you. When I came back to find your body, you were gone.”

“I didn’t want to leave you, either, buddy, when you put me in that pod up on Helios… I guess I just want to tell you that I love you… and we’re going to get Gortys back or we’re going to die trying… and thank you for giving me a few more days. To try and get my head on straight.”

“You are welcome. I do not always understand why you do the things that you do, but I think I do now better than I did before. I love you too, Father. I have shame for how rough I was with you before we returned to Helios. I was angry. Grieving.”  

“I get it.” Rhys’ silver arm stretched out and rested around the robot’s shoulder. “I forgive you. I’m a dick when I’m angry, too.”

“You did not expect me to sacrifice myself for you when we first met and that has earned you my loyalty, father. I know you will return Gortys to us. I can be patient in the meantime, while you get better.”

“Thanks. That means a lot to me.” Rhys smiled wryly at the robot, “You know this body looks way better on you than it would have in me.”  

Loader Bot agreed, readily, “I am rocking this bod.”

Laughing, Rhys nodded, “You sure are, Buddy.”


	25. A Small Bit of Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys enjoy their working vacation at the Domed Atlas facility with a morning of firing weapons followed by an afternoon of romantic delights.

Rhys woke before Vaughn in the morning and rose to use the bathroom. He was surprised to find he did not have a nightmare. Indeed, the familiarity of the facility was rather soothing to him. Beyond that, it was an incredible luxury to not have to walk a long ways before having a usable commode. He climbed back into bed when he was finished. Though he tried to be careful and quiet it still made Vaughn stir. 

Vaughn opened his eyes and yawned vastly. He blinked, blearily at Rhys and murmured, “Hey… sorry… I fell asleep.”

Rhys laid on his side with a pillow between his left arm and his face. “No worries, man. We had a long few days of driving.”

Vaughn reached a hand up to rub the crust of sleep from his eyes and yawned again, “I got your note last night. I’m going to have it notarized… just as soon as I can find a notary.”

“You’re a notary,” Rhys reminded as though Vaughn could have forgotten such a thing as a professional certification. The erstwhile accountant had always diligently acquired and maintained as many personal certifications as he possibly could. It looked good on the old resume. 

“You can’t notarize your own documents, Rhys.” his eyes rolled, “Besides, I’m pretty sure my recertification papers never made it off Helios.” 

Rhys scooted closer to him and laid out his shining silver arm across Vaughn’s abs. “Well… when we find one, we’ll make it nice and legally  _ binding _ .” 

“ _ Binding _ ,” Vaughn chuckled lowly and raised one eyebrow in an easy, confident look. “I'm going to make you bound to me in every sense of the word.”  

Smiling, Rhys snuggled his face into his fiancé's neck and breathed in deeply. “Nothing would make me happier.” He let himself be distracted thinking about how good the other man looked when he was sure of himself. 

Vaughn then asked with a quiet voice, “You really are okay with everything, Right?”

“Define everything,” Rhys said while lifted his head and put it back on his own pillow. “Because that’s pretty broad.” 

“Well…” Vaughn drawled it out as he collected his thoughts. When he gathered them he returned to his normal quick manner of speaking, “I know you like to be spanked… but most of it I have done has been… for punishment rather than pleasure. And I've been worried that I pushed you into being more… of a way of life than just a kink. I want to be absolutely certain that's what you really want. I don't  feel like we discussed it so much as I just took the liberty to start bossing you around and whipping the hell out of you with found objects.”

Rhys snickered softly and wedged his nose back against Vaughn's neck. “This is… what I want. Or need? I don’t know. I try not to think about the _ why  _ too much. It is  _ way _ too confusing… but I know I would like to… explore more… erotic sides of pain, too. Like the uh… thing with the mirror.”

Vaughn beamed, “That was pretty great.” He seemed so smug and satisfied. His hair was messy and clung to the pillow with the static electricity caused by the dry, artificially heated air.

Rhys scanned him openly, his echo eye flashing with yellow light. There was no information there he did not already know, but it was comforting to do so anyway. He was still 28. His favorite color was still goldenrod. 

“Yeah. It was.” Rhys smiled softly and snuggled his head back into the pillow, making his own untamed hair even more messed up. “The spider ant business. That’s what you were talking about, right?” 

Vaughn nodded, “Yeah. Precisely that. I really didn’t check in with you before I did any of that. I was so… freaking mad and scared though. I can’t lose you again.” 

“Well… The way you took authority… the things you made me do… making me put my nose in the corner, like a child.. the spanking.” Rhys’ eyes closed for a long moment and his cheeks took on a faint blush. “You were so… incredibly powerful. I was too ashamed and in pain to enjoy it at the moment but when I think about it now I get the shivers. I deserved it for what I said and what I did… and I felt better for it. I felt… very… loved.”

“Good… because… I… think I like it… a lot. It's was a pretty amazing feeling. In a lot of ways I've always advised you, kinda told you what to do in some circumstances... but when you're bound or on your knees in front of me,” He gave half a chuckle, “It makes me feel… _ Incredible _ , but I promise you I will  _ never  _ abuse that power that you trust me with… and no matter what we’re getting up to… I consider you my partner and equal.”

“I know, Vaughn. I trust you… and I appreciate you checking in.” Rhys rubbed his robotic hand up and down his partner’s side lightly.

“Communication is important, right?” Vaughn went fully onto his side and put an arm around Rhys in turn so that they were face to face, eye to eye, “So if you ever get… mad or resentful of what I am doing please tell me. I want this to stay positive.”

“I'm positive that you are the best fiancée I could have.” Rhys winked.

Vaughn said, deadpanned, “Can you… attempt to be serious?”

Rhys’ eyes rolled slightly, “Okay, okay. I get your meaning. I will be sure to stay open and honest. I don't get mad at you. I get mad at myself.”

“I get that… but if anything ever changes...” he trailed off.

“It won’t. But, yeah. I’ll tell you. I’m sure we're going to have arguments that aren't resolvable by smacking my ass. But when I do something awful… I'd rather resolve it that way. You feel better… I feel better. It works, right?”

Vaughn leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. “Yeah. It works. He reached a hand around and squeezed a handful of Rhys’ ass before giving it a playful smack. “Come on. I'll make breakfast. I’m eager to get my hands on these Atlas guns.”

After a simple breakfast they spent the morning at the gun range. Vaughn had a grand time experimenting with the weapons there. He was effusive with his praise and encouragement when Rhys fired to the point where the CEO decided that it was fun enough to become a regular activity for the pair of them. The bandit also showed Rhys how to load and care for the weapons as well alongside general gun safety.

Afterwards they enjoyed a light lunch. While it was being made Rhys excused himself to set up the activities of the afternoon.

After lunch, they spent time loading the weaponry and various other tech into crates for LB to load into the vehicle. When they had been at it a few hours Rhys declared while taking his husband's hand, “Break time. I have something to show you.”

In the elevator, Vaughn's eyes trailed down to Rhys’ hip and he admired the weapon there. 

Rhys caught him looking and smiled, “Your opening argument on forcing me to wear this should have involved how apparently hot you are for me when I'm packing heat.”

Vaughn grinned, “what can I say, I like a man who can handle a piece.”

“Hah! I can handle a piece alright. Thank you for teaching me more about them. I had more fun than I thought I would. Kinda excited to be able to defend myself better.” He smiled down at his companion.

“That makes me so happy to hear. You have no idea.” Vaughn replied, smiling up at Rhys.

Rhys squeezed his hand. They reached the ground under the great dome amongst the strange flora. He lead Vaughn to a safe clearing amongst the strange and glowing plants where he had laid out a nest of pillows and blankets along with a few candles. A duffel bag sat near by. 

Rhys says, “I have made us a lover's bower.” he grinned one of his awkward, embarrassed grins as he lead him up to the edge of the love nest. 

Vaughn grinned a lazy, feline-like smirk in response. “You are full of surprises.”

Rhys skimmed his silver fingers across the back of his slicked back hair. Shy in the face of Vaughn’s pleasure, he looked away for a long moment before he could gather his courage again. When he did, he turned back and reached out with the long, fleshy fingers of his left hand to grasp his lover by his jaw. He leaned down and kissed his lips, enjoying the sensation of the other man’s beard against his smooth face. When the kiss was broken he looked down into Vaughn’s stormy blue eyes with a winsome smile, “I love you. I adore you. I worship you… and I will never take you for granted  again.”

Vaughn couldn't help but beam and a smile in response. “You know I'm crazy in love with you, too.”

“You’d have to be,” Rhys slid his fingers under Vaughn’s shirt and started to push it up over his head. “Crazy that is.” 

“Pffffffffft,” Vaughn blew out a breath in mirth, “You have no idea, this is like… something out of one of my fantasies.” He let Rhys remove his shirt and drop it near the blankets. 

Rhys laughed softly, “We've talked more of my fantasies more than yours. Tell me what bandit kings and accountants dream about.” His hands then went to the hem of his own T shirt and he pulled over his head before dropping it.  

A strange little smile came over his lips. Vaughn said, while tracing the line of one of Rhys’ blue chest tattoos with a finger, “You know… I always used to wish that one of those nights... when you’d pushed me down on the couch and… manhandled me... that you would stop and we would go into my room and you would just look at me with that stupid, wicked, asshole look of yours and you'd just fuck me without saying a single word.”

Rhys knew the look of which Vaughn was speaking and instantly his face slid into it, in spite of it being referred to as the ‘stupid, wicked, asshole look.’  One brow was raised suggestively and his eyes had a come-hither look while his lips were set in a sleazy grin.

“There it is,” Vaughn’s eyes shone with delight and he smiled back, his body tensed with the anticipation of what was to follow. 

Without speaking Rhys put his hands on Vaughn's strong shoulders and pushed him down into the blankets.

Vaughn allowed himself to be easily pushed and he landed in the thick pile of blankets. First to his knees and then on to his backside. 

Like a fox pouncing on a mouse, Rhys was suddenly on Vaughn. He insistently pushed the smaller man onto his back. He licked his lips seductively as one hand palmed all over the tight bulge in the front of Vaughn’s slacks. 

“Kiss me?” Vaughn said like a plea, not as a command happy to surrender to the moment. 

Rhys gave him what he wanted without hesitation. He kissed lightly, teasingly against the other’s lips while he unfastened the front of Vaughn’s pants with his left hand. 

He brushed his hand intentionally across the tight fabric at the front of Vaughn’s boxers before grabbing both his shoulders and pushing him flat onto the ground on his back. He sat up and swung one leg over Vaughn to straddle his groin and folded himself down to mash his lips against the other man’s.

Vaughn hummed happily into the kiss shifting his hips up against Rhys. 

Rhys felt for both of Vaughn’s arms, gripped them tightly, and used them to hold him down while he explored his mouth with his tongue. 

Vaughn’s groaned and  shifted his hips as much as he could, writhing as he was pinned. His eyes were open. They met and locked a long moment with Rhys’ until they both started laughing happily like merry idiots.

Grinning, Rhys climbed off of him for a moment so that he could grab Vaughn’s pants and boxers and yank them down at the same time. Taking the request for silence literally, other than laughter, he stripped himself of his own pants. He made a point to leave his weapon within easy reach of the blankets just in case. While they may be caught with their pants down literally, they would not also be caught that way figuratively. 

Wisely, Rhys had made sure LB knew to give them space out here unless there were sounds of obvious danger. 

Naked but for their socks, in the warm, strangely beautiful interior of the dome; Rhys felt remarkably safe and peaceful. Stretching out a long arm he grabbed the duffel bag and dragged it closer to them. He opened it and withdrew towels and the lubricant. 

Rhys laid down on his side, propped up on his robotic arm. He twined one leg around Vaughn’s and let his left hand trail over the smaller man’s chest as he kissed his bearded cheek and then his lips again. The hand on Vaughn’s chest drifted lower, taking time to caress those nicely sculpted abs before trailing lower still. He wrapped his fingers around Vaughn’s cock and started to slowly stroke it. It felt warm and familiar in his hand. 

Vaughn’s heavy brows arched in pleasure and he hummed softly while letting Rhys plunder his mouth. 

Abruptly breaking the kiss, Rhys got to his knees and climbed between Vaughn’s legs. He smiled his cocky, ridiculous smile while he looked over his fiance’s small, well muscled frame. 

As he reached for the lubricant, Rhys was struck by how fortunate he was to be here like this with his best friend. Not every man who makes as big of mistakes as Rhys made with Vaughn gets such a second chance to do things right. He uncapped the lid of the lube and poured a small amount into the palm of his left hand before again sliding his hand up and down Vaughn’s fully erect cock.

Vaughn’s eyes were hungry, watching his every movement. They went half-lidded as Rhys slowly stroked him. After he was moaning with pleasure a while, Rhys stopped. 

Rhys took one of the towels and grabbed Vaughn under his hips to lift him up just enough to put the folded cloth under his hips to raise up his entrance and make it more accessible for this missionary style sex. When he was done, he poured more of the clearly liquid onto his palm. He spread it over his own cock with eager fingers first. 

With his cock and his flesh fingers well lubed, he grabbed Vaughn under his knees and bent his legs up to give him access his tight little rosebud. 

Vaughn’s breathing was harder now and his eyes made clear his smoldering need to have Rhys take him like he always dreamed of. He licked his lips slowly and sensuously as Rhys slid the tip of his finger all over all over that ring of muscle.

The tall man was suddenly struck with a sudden fear that he might not be good at this. The only time he had been inside Vaughn was when he was tied down to the bed and his lover had rode him. Still, he had no choice but to press on and try. Vaughn deserved it. He deserved every single good thing in the universe that Rhys had to offer. 

The bandit made a soft moan as Rhys’ long finger finally penetrated him. A second digit soon joined it and he fucked him slowly and gently with those fingers for a time, to stretch and prepare him for what was to follow. When at last he withdrew it, Vaughn gave a soft whine of protest even though he knew the real fun was only beginning. 

Hovering over his lover, Rhys carefully positioned his perfectly average cock where his fingers had just been and slowly worked it inside. He was so tight and it felt so incredibly good Rhys wanted to close his eyes but he kept them open to watch Vaughn’s face.

The shorter man bit his lip feeling at first the discomfort but once he was all the way in he breathed out, “Fuh...ck. Yes... “ 

Rhys began to take him, slow and gentle. Though he was not particularly well endowed, he knew how to make the most of what he had and worked his skinny hips to the best of his ability to please his fiance. Though the vast reserve of his sexual knowledge involved women, he hoped that his experiences would nonetheless serve him well.

“Kiss me,” Vaughn begged, looking up at Rhys with love and need written in his expressive gray-blue eyes. 

There was nothing Rhys could deny him. He again leaned his long torso down and kissed the other man warmly and wetly with lips, tongue and occasionally teeth dragging across Vaughn’s lower lip. The hums and moans of pleasure that the shorter man made only drove Rhys on in his efforts. He pushed himself to pump his hips a little faster and take his lover harder and more urgently.

“Oh yes… oh yes. Rhys… More. More… More!” Vaughn all but begged. 

Rhys broke his silence to say, “I love you bro. I love you so much. Forever.”

“I… oh god… I love you too. Fuck! Oh harder!” Vaughn sounded like he could not even think straight.

Rhys slammed himself into his lover's body over and over again. He used his robot arm to hold himself up while his flesh hand wrapped his hand around Vaughn’s erect cock. 

Vaughn moaned lustily. His head turned  to one side and his jaw tightened. One of his hands covered over his face. “oh god. Oh! Oh hell!” he muttered into his hand.

Knowing his lover was close, Rhys moved his hips even faster and harder as Vaughn seemed to like it that way. He too was in utter ecstasy, but he had to keep himself from coming before he could get his partner off first.

Vaughn finally came with a shuddering cry. The thick, white ejaculate splashed against his abs and chest and his eyes closed. He writhed beneath Rhys, his short legs wrapping around the back of Rhys’.

Rhys continued to thrust into him, still squeezing and kneading his spent cock. He was now desperate for his own sweet release. He continued to buck himself inside his lover until he followed him into a dizzying orgasm. 

Bending down again, Rhys kissed Vaughn’s parted lips while still inside him. 

Vaughn kissed him back sloppily with lazy contentment.

At long last Rhys pushed himself up and grabbed another towel from the bag and used it to clean the semen from Vaughn's stomach. He than wiped himself off before cleaning up as much of his his seed as he could from his lover. 

The towel was discarded and he tugged the one out from under Vaughn's back so he could lay comfortably again. That done he pulled a blanket over them and stretched out at Vaughn’s side.

They lay there a long time in silence together in that small slice of paradise on that inhospitable planet with Rhys laying his head against Vaughn’s shoulder.

“Vaughn?” Rhys lay on his back looking up at the dome above, “Do you think any of the children might consider relocating out here?”

Vaughn nodded his head, “Things are crowded. We’ve been… rightfully… really focused on the traveler. But we still have, scientists, engineers... talented people. As soon as we dispense with the Traveller and get Gortys back… Let’s start talking to people and find out who would like to get back to work. But you know,” he said with a hint of ill omen in his voice. 

Rhys glanced over and looked at him with soft eyes and made a soft “Mmmmmm?”

“You could just tell them. You could literally take one by the hand and tell them they’ve been chosen for a great opportunity by their savior and they would probably go.”

“Fuck. I’m not doing that.” Rhys said, “It scares me. The… worship. You’re their god damn savior. I’m just the human disaster that smashed their home out of the sky.”

“Babe,” Vaughn said mildly, “I’m not saying you would. Just… you could… and you're not a disaster.”  

“What kills me,” Rhys said, his brows knitting in a look of sad confusion, “I really, truly thought this would feel… better. I thought what I wanted out of life was adoration, but this isn’t what I want. I haven’t done anything to earn it, unless we’re counting killing a bunch of their… our... coworkers. It’s so… exhausting.” He breathed out, “I don’t want to be like _ him _ , Vaughn. I want to grab them by their shoulders and say, ‘Knock it the fuck off, idiots. How did it work out for you last time you joined a cult of personality!’”

“You’re not like him. If you veer too much into his lane I’ll make sure its short lived.” Vaughn reached up a hand to ruffle through Rhys’ hair. 

“Alright…” Rhys let himself be reassured, “It just seems like we should protect this place. You know. Make it ours. Make a settlement. The terraforming experiments here… they are really exciting. I want to see the work continued.” 

Vaughn nods, “I agree. We'll talk to people about it soon.”

Rhys than shifted topics, “Can I… ah… also suggest something… for when we get married?” 

“Yeah…” he grinned in response as though he liked this topic much more than the previous one.

“Well you know how we talked about keeping our own surnames when we get married?” Rhys said, uncertainly.

“Yeah... “ Vaughn squinted, skeptically, not able to guess where this was going. 

“What if we both took a new name. I’m not married to my last name.” He raised and lowered his brows to make it clear he was making a pun. 

Vaughn just rolled his eyes at the pun. “Like we make up a new joint family name? I’ll admit. I’m intrigued. It has to be good though. We can't just be Mister and Mister Smith.”

“Atlas.” Rhys said. “Mister and Mister Atlas.”

Vaughn's brows lifted as he considered it. “Rhys and Vaughn Atlas. I admit… I like the sound of it.”

“You do?” Rhys sounded excited.

“Yeah,” Vaughn grinned. “If it’s what you want. I think we should do it. Make a new start. New name. Vaughn Atlas. Hmmmmmm. Come on future Mr. Rhys Atlas. Let's go try out that bathtub upstairs… and thank you for this… romantic interlude.” He moved to his side to kiss Rhys sweetly on the lips.  

“You're welcome. This is only the beginning,  baby.” Rhys beamed. 


	26. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys and Vaughn discuss a few more pieces of the past before heading back to Helios to face an uncertain future.

The older man looked just as he did the last time Rhys had seen him in the flesh, shortly after his first year of college.  

He was taller than Rhys, or maybe it was just how large he loomed in the cyborg’s subconscious. Sallow faced and gaunt, like a cartoonish undertaker, he appeared to be a man just sort of utter desperation. 

Watery, brown eyes, that had once been so much brighter and full of promise seemed to bore into Rhys’ soul, scraping out every ounce of insecurity and spreading it before him.

His dark, brown hair was cut into a short, unremarkable style and slicked back. It made his forehead too large, especially with its receding hairline. Threads of gray were starting to take over at the temples and he had at least three days of beard stubble on his long chin. 

The suit he wore was old and shabby and seemed to big for him. A thick, gold chain was around his thin neck. 

“Dad?” Rhys said, feeling a tight ball of icy panic forming in his gut.

“Rhys, my boy.” He clucked his tongue and shook his head. “Look at you, kid.” His laugh was a humorless smoker’s wheeze as he took a step forwards towards his only child. “So… pathetic. God damn, sometimes, I wish I’d have strangled you in your crib.” 

Rhys felt himself backing away, not only from the man but from everything he represented. It seemed like no matter how much he moved he could not get any any farther from the man, though he was not moving at all. 

“I sure would have,” He continued, “If I’d have known that little faggot was going to  _ turn _ you.” His head shook in disgust. “I blame your Ma. That bitch made you way too soft. To coddled.”

Furious, Rhys stopped trying to back away; his feet planting firmly on the ground. Both of his fists balled up in rage and he snarled, “You know what? Fuck you,  _ dad _ ! You don’t know _ anything _ . Anything about love! Or decency! You never taught me anything about being a  _ real  _ man!” 

“Love?” The voice changed with a crackle of static and the figure distorted, dissipating into blue pixels and reforming into the thicker, broader outline of the A. I. Handsome Jack. “Ohhhh  _ Rhysie _ . How much did you love your coworkers when you vented them into space?” Those big expressive eyes seemed to shine with malice as he crooned, “Did that make you feel like a  _ real _ man?”

He gestured with a translucent blue arm into the distance and Rhys could see it again. The station was falling apart. Escape pods hurled towards Pandora, sometimes crashing into each other or other debris, if not the desperate ships full of men and women all trying to get away from the doomed station. Then, there were the bodies of those who had been vented before the power core was completely shut down; burning and disintegrating as they hit Pandora’s atmosphere. 

Rhys woke from the dream with a tremendous gasp, tears coursing hotly down his face. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut and he struggled to breathe in against the sob forming in his throat. 

Pulling away from Vaughn, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and leaned forward to put his face in his hands. He tried to smother the sound of his weeping so he would not wake his fiancé. In spite of his sincere attempt, he could not stop the tide of pain.

The bed bounced with movement behind him and he could feel Vaughn’s warm chest press against his back as the other man’s arms enfolded him. There was the tickle of his beard at Rhys’ neck and he leaned back against the smaller man. 

“Hey… hey… I’m here.” Vaughn’s voice was rough with sleep, “I’ve got you. You’re safe with me.” 

Rhys leaned back in Vaughn’s arms. Wherever they were, they seemed the safest place in the world. Relief flooded through him at the warmth of the comfort.

Vaughn’s lips were near to his ear with warm breath as he said exactly the wrong thing, “It’s just a bad dream.” 

Rhys suddenly felt an indignant rage burning up in him. “It’s not! It’s… the truth!” He insisted, pulling away from Vaughn.

He was released, reluctantly, and bent forward again, covering the back of his head with his hands like he was preparing for an impact. 

“Baby… c'mere…” Vaughn’s dulcet voice was accompanied by a gentle pat on the bed at his side. “Tell me about it, please… when you can.” 

Rhys dropped his hands and looked over to Vaughn, his head lifting. It hurt to see how sadly his fiancé looked at him in turn. He silently weighed the pros and cons of taking Vaughn’s offer before he lunged the man’s direction. In moments he was wrapping his arms tightly about him and pressing his face into his chest.  

Yes, it was definitely safer in his arms than out.

“I wasn’t trying to be dismissive. I just meant… There’s nothing that can harm you right now. I know… I know it's hard.” He laid a calloused hand on Rhys’ back and stroked it up and down. 

Rhys looked up at Vaughn, struggling to speak through his tears and sounding just shy of hysterical, “It was my dad… saying… he should’ve killed me… rather… than see me with you… Then he turned into Jack and… showed me… the destruction… Helios… what I did.” 

Vaughn swallowed and was quiet a moment after the other was done speaking. He wanted to be judicious with his message. “Your father is a Grade A, top of the line, ass hat. But he never would hurt you... He adored you. You’re the one that chose to cut ties.” His voice trailed off. Now wasn’t the time to bring that up. “It’s okay, Rhys. I love you.” 

The cyborg let his emotions run their course and gave up trying to form coherent thoughts for a while. 

Vaughn leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead and held him, opting not to press any topics at the moment. 

When he could speak again, Rhys said only, “Tea, please?” 

Vaughn kissed his hair and sat up, letting him sink back down onto the bed. “Sure thing. I’ll be back in a bit, alright?” 

Rhys gave a weak little, “Okay…”

When Vaughn was gone he scrunched up under the blanket and pulled it over his head while he continued to breathe in and out slowly. 

Vaughn returned a short time later with a platter. On it were two cups of tea, sliced fruit, and a protein bar for each of them. He set it down on the edge of the bed. 

Rhys pushed the blanket up off of himself. He sat up with crossed legs as a mug was held out to him. He took it and cradled it in his long fingers for a while, before raising it to his lips to blow on it. 

Vaughn sat down and picked up the other mug. “How are you feeling now?” 

“Calmer… thanks… I’m sorry.”

“You don’t ever have to be for your nightmares…”

“Thanks,” He said again, with a sigh. “He didn’t adore me… my dad. He adored the  _ thought _ of me. He never had a clue of who I was.” 

“I always felt a… responsibility for your relationship going South.” Vaughn admitted as he looked away to the far wall. Your last fight with him was about me.” 

Rhys glanced at the side of his face he could see, “Vaughn… no… don’t… no. Like you said… my Dad’s was a massive dick. You were just the catalyst for shit that would have happened one way or another eventually.” 

Vaughn looked back to him, cautiously relieved. 

Rhys continued, “He was just waiting for me to be his next gravy train anyway. He didn’t want a relationship with me… he was keeping contact in case I didn’t utterly fail like he did at everything he ever tried. You were… right anyway. It was just a dream. Just… I dunno… dreams are  _ stupid _ .” 

Vaughn stared deeply into his mug like it was a mystic oracle that  would tell him secrets of the universe. There was a gentle insistence in his voice when he spoke, “You need to forgive yourself Rhys… for the things that happened with me… for Helios…” 

Rhys set the mug of on the night stand, his thoughts turning distant, “That’s… a tall order.” 

“And you need to try to love yourself. To give yourself some of the consideration you give me,” Vaughn encouraged as he looked to his lanky lover. 

“That’s… even taller.” 

“I know...but I really hope you’ll try.” 

Rhys sighed and ate a small piece of fruit. “Yeah. I know.  I wish… when I told him off, my dad, I mean, I wish I'd have had the guts to tell him that it wasn't just _ you _ he was insulting when he called you the faggot… it was me, too.”

Vaughn corrected him, “The  _ little _ faggot.” The height joke seemed to bother him more than the slur. “And considering you couldn’t admit it to me or yourself there was little chance of you telling him.” He shook his head, “I never got what his problem was anyway. Literally  _ no one _ cares about that. My mom would have thrown me a coming out party if I'd have been home.” He sighed heavily. “I miss my mom,” he blurted out as he tore open the packaging on one of the protein bars. He took a bite.

“Yeah.” Rhys’ lips turned up into a maudlin smile at the memory of his best friends mother. “Me too. I freeking _ love  _ your mom. Now that is someone who adores me!  We'll get her an echo. She will be thrilled that you're with me.” He popped a piece of fruit into his mouth.

After he as he washed down the bar with some tea, Vaughn agreed. “She will lose it. She loved you from day one. She always could tell how important you were to me.”

“Will it be weird if i keep flirting with her?” Rhys asked with apparent misgivings before immediately admitting, “Because I am totally going to.”

Vaughn laughed and looked at him with affection, “It would probably disappoint her if you didn't.”

“Do you want to record something for her? There’s a couple of old Hyperion Satellites I hacked that can relay the message to the next world and see if we could pay someone to get it to her. No guarantee, but we could try.” 

Vaughn looked at him with big startled eyes, “Wait… wait wait wait wait… You have… off world communication?” 

Rhys says, “Well… yeah… I mean… Not been much I could do with it, without money. But I’ve made some business inquiries. I’m in contact with some people. How else was I going to get Atlas back off the ground?”

“You’re kidding me. Why did you never mention this? We have money now Rhys! Holy shit. Yes… yes. Let’s send her a message. Oh my God.” Vaughn was struck suddenly by the anxious desire to make a perfect video message for his mother.

“It’s one of the things I was planning on doing today. I managed to link my files from here to Helios, but I wasn't expecting to wind up away from this base indefinitely, so I didn't make it possible to access the satellites remotely... but I can make some modifications - hopefully - and  set it up so we can relay messages through here to Helios so we don’t have to come here to communicate off world. I also need to send some messages so my contacts don't think I’m dead.” 

“None of that explains why you didn’t tell me,” Vaughn reminded him.

“I don’t know… I was busy just… being with you.” 

Vaughn smiled stupidly at that, “Heck. Who cares. I love you! Let’s totally send her a message.” 

* * * * *

They both picked out respectable suits from the quick change station. Vaughn spent an inordinate amount of time making sure his beard was trimmed right and his hair looked tidy. He combed it through repeatedly and put it up into the neatest bun possible. The long hair on its own was going to be enough to be enough of a shock. 

They set up the Echo where they could both stand in front and be seen on the video. 

Side by side, they got into position. Vaughn's hand looped around Rhys’ waist and started. “Hi Mom. Check it out. I am not dead and I am so sorry to have worried you if I did!”

Rhys cut in, “Hey Mrs. O! I'm also alive! Sorry to upset you but I have some excellent news for you to make up for all the uh… potentially sadness and horror.”

“Rhys and I are together, officially… and… we're engaged to be married. No… date set though. We’re still working on that.” Vaughn said, triumphantly. 

“Annnnnd we're running our own company together.” Rhys added before winking for the camera. “You’re looking at the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the newly reformed Atlas corporation.” 

Vaughn smiled, a rare expression of perfect contentment. “It’s a really long story mom. And we don’t have time to tell it all now, but I really…. Really… really… wanted you to know that I’m alive. That I’m okay… Pandora is… crazy, but we’re getting on alright.”

Rhys added, “It sucks here.” 

“I agree with Rhys, but it's kind of our home now. It has… resources we require and it’s a good space to build something permanent and meaningful. I uh… I hope you’re well. I hope the rest of the family is well. Tell them… I said Hi… I guess… uh… I love you. I’m really… really sorry to have just disappeared like that. Couldn’t be helped.” 

“Goodbye Mrs. O. We’ll get in touch with you soon. I’ll take good care of Vaughn in the meantime!”

A sarcastic chortle came from Vaughn at that. Looking at the camera he says, “Don’t listen to him. He still needs my help to function as a human on the most basic level. Still can’t iron a shirt. Goodbye for now.” With that he turned it off. 

Rhys was still grinning roguishly, “We look good. She’ll be so…” He trailed off and his face fell when he saw how sad his companion seemed. “Vaughn…?” His brow furrowed. 

“I already haven’t seen her in… what… over a decade now.” Vaughn leaned his back against the quick change machine. “Since I left for college. It’s… weird… being so far away from her. From home. Helios never felt like home… not when it was in the sky. I wonder if Pandora will ever really feel that way.”

“It does for me, weirdly enough,” Rhys replied as he went to sit at one of the control panels. “I knew I was never going back to my Mom when I left. I never wanted to. Nothing’s felt like a home since the first house we ever moved out of when my dad split. So I’m used to… just home being wherever my stuff is. But I know it's not like that for you. I’m sorry.”

Vaughn shrugged, “Nah. I knew it … would be a long time before I ever saw her in person again, if ever. She knew too. If I did go home, it would probably seem so different that it wouldn’t… feel like home anyway. Home is with you, now. Home is Pandora. I’m just being maudlin because I miss my mom.” 

“I know you miss her.” He paused and said, “You really have gone full native, you sexy little bandit psycho, you.” 

Chuckling, the shorter man came and sat without invite on Rhys’ lap. “If I ever do go psycho put a bullet in me, but being a bandit king has been interesting. I wonder how I would list that job experience on my resume.” 

Snapping his fingers, Rhys stretched out his arm as though to indicate a distant vista that should be gazed upon as he said, “‘Management skills with a specialty in operation during times of high stress and conflict.’” His other arm slid around Vaughn to keep him steady on his lap.

“Oooooh,” Vaughn marveled and added, like as second bullet point, “‘Skills in acquisition of scarce materials in a competitive market.’”

Rhys observed with a sly look on his face, “One that is,  _ literally _ , cut-throat.” 

“Not just cut-throat, but also face-shoot, skin-peel,  _ and  _ skull-fuck.” Vaughn said with morbid cheerfulness before continuing, “How about, ‘Lean management of a very tight supply chain.’” 

Rhys snickered, “And you look hot as hell dressed up as a bandit… but baby, you’re never going to have to make another resume in your life. Neither am I. We’re going to ride this train to the top… and maybe some day we’ll be on that moon beach we always talked about.” 

“No matter what happens, It’ll be a hell of a ride, together.” 

* * * * *

The prospect of returning home after such a nice interlude of togetherness with Vaughn and Loader Bot was an ambivalent one for Rhys. He missed Fiona and Yvette already, and the part of his heart that had developed a thrill for adventure was itching for the fight with the Vault monster. On the other hand he would miss this place both in terms of its amenities and its beauty. 

Rhys felt he had made progress of a sort here. He felt closer to Vaughn from the emotional labor they had made at this place away from all of the chaos.

Their physical work had gotten completed as well. The three managed to reconfigure the satellite dishes and made some repairs to the glass that had been shattered when Vallory had attacked. The truck was stocked with all the weapons tech and gear they could take. The Quick Change station was loaded in the back. Everything was locked up as tightly as it could be.

They drove back for Helios. 

It was so quiet in that icy region where the Atlas facility had been built. There were few people living anywhere near it. The only threat was from a pair of bullymong they had shot down easily. When they got back into the more arid region they had managed to successfully avoid a Rakk Hive LB scouted out. The giant stayed blissfully sleeping under the earth. 

They took turns doing the days of driving, talking almost incessantly their life, their company, and their future. The dreams and enthusiasm of each man keeping the other riled up with ideas and principles. Things that mattered to them about what Atlas would be.

When it got to be too much they would occasionally sleep, guarded by Loader bot.

* * * * *

Vaughn was behind the wheel when LB’s voice came over the comm after a long stretch of silence, “Father, Vaughn. We have company.” 

Rhys replied, “Thanks. LB… What direction, what kind.” 

LB’s voice was impassive as always, “Approaching in two groups from both sides. Bandits. Four vehicles. I will make a sweep at the left column.” 

Vaughn flipped a switch to get the forward facing guns online. He looked at Rhys solemnly and said, “Ok Rhys… I need you to focus here… Get to the turret. Blow stuff up.” No longer dressed like a bandit, there was still something undeniably wild and Pandoran about the way he hunched down over the wheel and prepared for battle. 

Rhys nodded firmly, “Yeah. On it!” His whole body shifted into high alert at the not entirely unexpected threat. He paused only to pass his robotic fingers across the top of Vaughn’s muscular shoulder and head for the back.

“Do you have your baton… and pistol?” Vaughn called behind him, the worry plain in his voice. 

“I do! I’m ready for this!” Rhys said, trying to sound more pumped up than he felt. What he really felt, was pure terror and a surge of adrenaline.

He slipped through the small door in the back to the filled cargo hold. They had left small walkways in between the crates, which were all tied down in an attempt to keep them as stable as possible. He snaked through the lane and climbed up into the turret.

As soon as he was in place he scanned the horizon. He could see rising clouds of hot, brown dust on either side of them closing in. 

They were pretty standard for Pandora. Masked bandits and their more insane counterparts, the psychos, were on top of the Vehicles, clinging tightly to whatever hand hold they could manage and waiting for their chance so to board the large truck. 

LB’s voice came through the com to both men, “There is a fifth. Coming from behind the rock formation.” 

“Crap!” Vaughn cried just before the din of battle kicked in. 

The guns at the front started firing as Rhys swung his gun to face the closest vehicle. His echo eye flashed golden as he scanned for the best place to target and assist with his aim. In a moment he was firing the powerful cannon at the closest enemy.  

Though the bandits’ vehicles had shields, they didn’t appear to be anything of great quality. Rhys kept up the relentless fire of the big gun, though he became distracted by the sound of an explosion as they seemed to drive through a pillar of fire. 

Through his earpiece, Vaughn’s voice could be heard shouting, “Woo Hooooo. Got one!” 

The shield of their truck started taking hits, though it seemed obvious the bandits they were concerned with getting the vehicle in tact.  

LB made a smart sweep of the other two vehicles from the air in his buzzard, but did not succeed in taking either out of the fight. They were getting closer to the truck. 

Rhys’ fire eventually paid off and he could tell the shield was depleted. Now when he shot, Bandits suffered the consequences. Two psychos flew off the vehicle, screaming in mindless rage before before landing in the billowing dust, only to be run over by their companions behind them.

Rhys focused the gun on engine compartment and was rewarded when it burst into flame and tumbled end over end over end. 

The bandits following behind had to pull sharply on their wheel to avoid plowing into the wreckage of their compatriots. 

Rhys upholstered his pistol just in time to see a head appear over the back of the truck. He did his best to aim and pulled the trigger, surprising himself when the man’s head exploded. “Ho… ho…. Holy Fuck!” 

“You okay up there? Rhys?” Vaughn asked, his voice tense with anxiety.

LB swung the buzzard around in the air and came back on the column he hit the first time, exploding a third tactical after finally overwhelming its shields. There were still two behind them. 

Another psycho was climbing up the back of the truck. When Rhys shot this time, he missed. The masked lunatic was quickly up over the side and hurried towards the gun menacingly with his buzz axe. 

Panicked, Rhys discharged all the remaining bullets in one go by accident. Unfortunately he also missed entirely. “Oh no.”

“A bucket full of tasty meat for me!” The Psycho crowded merrily as he advanced.

Rhys dropped the pistol and unsnapped the stun baton from his belt. With a flick of his wrist he extended it and it came to life with a crackle of electricity. When the psycho was on him, his axe whirring incessantly, the cyborg stuck the baton through the bars on the gunner seat cage and the masked man was shocked into oblivion. 

He was thrown off the side of the truck, screaming and twitching. 

“Rhys… Hang on tight…” Vaughn’s voice was in his ear again. “LB if you can… get behind them. Gonna hit the boost.” 

Rhys could see LB nimbly move the small aircraft to get behind the pair of vehicles as he retracted the stun baton and set it down next to him in the seat. 

The next thing he knew they were barreling across the desert at a ridiculous speed. 

Not about to waste the opportunity, Rhys’ golden echo eye flashed again and he took aim, shooting directly at the front of the vehicle still behind him. LB focused his fire on on it as well and it exploded in a rain of fire. 

The one remaining vehicle was soon left behind them and it pulled off, and away, probably giving up to try for easier prey. 

No one spoke for a time as Vaughn was distracted with trying to keep this truck from crashing into unexpected obstacles while it traveled faster than it probably should. 

The boost wore off in time, but Vaughn was no where near prepared to stop driving. Rhys was sort of frozen in his place trying to absorb what had just happened when Vaughn’s voice came through his earpiece, “So… Uh… wow. You guys alright?” 

“Affirmative,” LB said as he flew to rejoin them. 

“Yeah… holy sh-… Vaughn… I did it!” He sounded pumped, enthusiastic.

“You did. You kicked  _ ass _ , bro. I am  _ so _ proud of you.” The other man sounded by equal measures elated and anxious. “That sucked. But you did great.” 

Vaughn’s effusive praise restored something in Rhys. He soaked it up like a sponge as he climbed down out of the seat to get his pistol and reload it with hands that shook the entire time. “Thanks… I’m gonna stay back here… just… keep an eye on things.”

“Yeah… I’m going to press on. Sooner we’re home… the better.” 

* * * * *

Rhys was driving as they neared the remains of Helios. It was getting dark again, but Rhys nonetheless started to recognize the particular rock formations before the downed base came into view. They were almost home. His new home. Their home. 

Vaughn had been quiet a while, leaning his head against the side window and breathing evenly. Rhys supposed he was sleeping until he said, “Well… Yvette will have messaged everyone else for us by now. Everyone should be here by tomorrow. Sasha… Athena and Springs… Zero. After seeing how you handled yourself today… I think you’re ready to do this. What do you think?” 

Rhys glanced over at Vaughn and smiled uncertainly, “Yeah… Ready as I’m getting." After a pause he said, with more confidence in his voice. "No... you know what? We’re going to kick this monster’s ass. I can do anything with you with me.” He put out his robotic fist, while keeping hold of the wheel with his other hand. 

“Heck yeah, Bro,” Vaughn said as he bumped his fists with his lover and friend. “Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.”   

Rhys positively beamed, "Pandora hasn't seen _anything_ yet!" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am finally wrapping up this bad boy. I am a little sad to do so, because this is the first fanfiction story I ever started, but we have reached the point where the cannon end of the story has to occur. As I did not want to retell that I decided to leave it here with both men, refreshed and closer then ever before, ready to face the Vault of the Traveler. There will be an epilogue that will follow some time in the near future. I apologize for the lack of anything resembling a plot in this story. XD I mostly wanted this to be the tale of them finally coming together and dealing with past pain. I will undoubtedly write more Gayperion in the future because I love these nerds. Thank you to everyone who is still here reading this.


	27. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months have passed since the Vault of the Traveler was opened and Rhys went missing.

Nine months, as reckoned in the standard calendar rather than the Pandoran one, had passed since Rhys and Fiona had disappeared into the vault of the Traveler.

Vaughn hated himself the most on nights like this, when the obsessive thoughts about his missing lover rattled endlessly in his head. It was a sleepless night; a true Pandoran night where his sleep cycle and the lengthy hours of dark combined into a miasma of desolation. 

As ever, he was furious with himself that he had he not anticipated that Rhys would do something foolish. He had been too giddy with the thought of Sasha being alive and them having defeated the Traveler to have kept an eye on the excitable cyborg and so he had lost him again. 

Though this guilt plagued him heavily, it did not weigh as hard as the uncertainty. Rhys and Fiona were like Schrodinger’s cats. As he could not look in the box, they remained at once alive and dead at the same time. Only, no one even knew where the box was.

The feeling used to be like a blade plunged into his gut, a raw ever-present wound that only seemed to get worse with time. At some point, though, it had scabbed over and given way to the weary numbness of depression; which lay over him like a funeral shroud. 

Sometimes the thought trampled across his mind that it would be better if he knew Rhys was dead. A bad, but known outcome would at least be something he could understand. The other part of his brain condemned him for ever considering such a notion. 

What solace could be had was found in his friends and associates. The others were good company. They did their best. Seeing LB and Gortys so happy together helped at first, but their opioid-like effect on his anguish decreased in effectiveness quickly. 

Janey Springs helped him out early on by getting him a Catch-a-Ride franchise open out at Helios for their use. They stayed in contact for business and personal discussions and she was a source of comfort for him. Honoring his promise made with Rhys, he even attended their lovely wedding. 

It was there he met their friend, Timothy Lawrence, the former body double of Handsome Jack. Helping the hapless doppelganger get the medical help necessary to remove his voice modulator meant that he could now travel Pandora more freely. He stayed on the road, but kept Vaughn updated on his travels and any interesting news he might come across.  It had been some time since he had checked in.

Sasha best understood the loss, but she never wavered in her certainty that Fiona and Rhys would be back, somehow. He used to try to have her faith, but now he just pretended, for her sake. He had gradually started to spend less time with her as a result. That optimism had become painful to him.

Yvette had helped him so much in the beginning with the loneliness. She was an ever present ear to listen to his suffering and a warm body to hold at night when otherwise he might lose himself to the depth of his despair, but something inside him started to tell him he had to stay alone at night. He did not want to make his problems impede her social or romantic life. So he had stopped showing up at her door in the middle of the night and forced himself to stay alone in his own bed. 

It was just as well if he could not sleep. There were endless things to do. The Children of Helios required intense management of their physical and emotional needs. It was exhausting and mostly thankless work, but it kept his mind off of other things.

Then there was Atlas. The only certainty that Vaughn had was that no matter what he had to do right by Rhys’ vision. He declared himself acting CEO and had started gathering together the children of Helios with an inclination towards work.

Already, he had managed to get some of their classic weapon models back into production. The weapon vending machines from Firestone to the Trash Coast were again lit up with the option to put the power of the gods into the hands of the people. 

The nucleus had been formed for the legal and financial branches of the company. Off world communication provided the ability to start the massive amounts of digital paperwork necessary for running a company in the modern age. They were no longer just an isolated colony of desert survivors. They were Atlas now. 

Between the lines of communication and the four million dollars Fiona had given to them, he had organized several supply drops to help better life at the compound. The quality of food, sanitation, and a host of other issues was improving all has his own well being was slowly ebbing away. 

Rising, after four sleepless hours, he grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a blue hoodie to put on against the chill of the dark hours. Exercise had ceased to be the refuge it had once been for him. Under slept, underfed, and overworked, something had to give soon in his life or he felt he might be in for a nervous breakdown. 

His footsteps sounded loud to himself in the mostly empty hallways as he made his way to the control center. When he arrived, he was somewhat surprised that beyond the expected guard there was also a pair Atlas Employees clustered around a terminal talking in low voices. 

The older of the two, a woman with a solemn face exclaimed, “Sir! We were just about to get you. It’s Lilith… on the Echo Com… and she’s demanding to speak to you, directly.” 

Vaughn exhaled and ran his hand through his hair to brush it out of his face. Dealing with the ruthless, self-important, siren that ran Sanctuary was currently high on the list of things he wanted to do. Taking the Echo com from the woman, he sat down to find out why she would call him at such an unholy hour. “Vaughn here…” 

The Siren’s voice came through clear and steely, “I need answers, Vaughn. We had a deal and you are in _ serious  _ breach of it.” 

Vaughn said, to tired to try to not sound sarcastic, “Well  _ hello _ to you too Lilith. We haven't done anything. What are you even talking about… it’s… like… ridiculous o’clock in the morning for us to beat around the bush. What the hell is going on?” 

She sounded angry, “So you deny sending your spies to Sanctuary?” 

“Of course I do! I don’t even have spies!” That part was a lie. He did have informants, but none that were actively engaging in espionage against the floating city. He started to hunch in his chair but he remembered the other employees and forced himself to sit up straight and dignified, even if the Siren couldn’t see him.

“I have two people in my custody that were caught infiltrating my headquarters. They were subdued and captured by my best men. I  _ know _ they are associated with you.”

Vaughn was leagues away from the meek accountant he had once been. He never let the orange haired woman’s erratic moods and hatred of him for his former Hyperion connections allow him to be pushed around. “First,” his voice was calm and even, “tell me who you’re even talking about.”

Her voice was heavy with vitriol as she said to him lowly, “I knew you were nothing but a scheming pile of disgusting corporate scum. Hyperion… or Atlas… whatever you’re calling it now. I know how your type is. Pretend to not know what I am talking about all you want, Bandit King, because I know for a fact the people I have in my cells right now are the Hollow point Con-Artist Fiona and your  _ boyfriend _ , Rhys.”

Vaughn was so shocked he could only helplessly stammer, “What?”

The fact that he seemed so confused seemed to throw Lilith of for a moment before she said, “Stop pretending that…” 

Vaughn cut her off by talking over her, “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” When she went silent he said with barely contained elation in his voice, “Rhys… you have Rhys… And Fiona?” 

“You really didn’t know?” The siren’s voice held an air of suspicion. 

“I’ve been looking for those idiots for Nine months! Nine months...  I’m coming to get them. Right now. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  

Lilith tried to salvage some of the momentum she came into the conversation with, “I’m… still going to question them.”

“No one wants to question them more than I do. I’ll join you, when I get there… but you need to let me talk to him now.” 

Her silence forced him to carry on. “Please let me talk to him. Whatever they were doing in Sanctuary wasn’t on my orders. They’ve been missing for months… Have a little milk of human kindness. They disappeared into the vault of the Traveler and that's the last I’ve seen of them.” 

“Fine… I will let you talk to him, but only if you promise to come here and if I like the story you all give me when I’ve heard it all I’ll decide if I want to let you go or not.” 

Vaughn says, “Fine… that’s fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can now put him on.” 

There was a brief bit of shuffling and Lilith could be heard saying, “I have your bandit lover on the line.” 

“Rhys? Fiona? Are you guys alright?” Vaughn asked, part of him felt the elation of relief and part was worried this was a dream or a poor joke.  

“V...Vaughn?” Rhys stammered. He sounded frightened, or at the very least highly anxious. 

“Hey,” Fiona said with casual coolness. 

“Oh, man, it's really you.” Vaughn could not stop the tears that came to his eyes as he heard both of them speak. “I’m coming to get you… I’m coming to Sanctuary and we’ll talk this out. Are you okay?” 

Rhys’ replied, “Yeah… heh. Except for all the angry  _ vault hunters _ … and the possible  _ concussion _ they gave me.” The last bit was said with such passive aggressive vitriol that Vaughn could just imagine his lips plumping into that surly pout of his.  

Fiona said, “We’re going to make it, Vaughn. How is my sister?”

Vaughn wanted to just weep for joy but there wasn’t time for that. With a deep breath he forced out, “She’s good, Fi. She’s going to be so happy to hear you’re alright. Okay okay… I am coming right now for you both.” He paused, “and Rhys…” 

“Yeah?” Rhys’ voice sounded faint. 

“I am going to bail your ass out... and hug you... and kiss you so hard… and then possibly kill you.” 

“I love you too.” Rhys said with a weak laugh. Though he started to say something else Lilith cut him off. 

“Get here fast. I am not a patient person.” With that she hung up.

Vaughn slowly stood and looked at the pair of women still hovering nervously near by. With tears streaming down his face and a look of imperious determination he said, “Have them ready the buzzard and send for Loader Bot. I’m going to go get our CEO back!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this! You definitely made my first experience with writing Fan Fiction great!


End file.
